Jul 27 2012

Pharyngula Podcast: Of fusions and humanists

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We were hanging out ~~right now~~. Here’s the video:

Comments can be found on YouTube or Google+.

Thanks to Esteleth, Samuel Mark, Michael Boys, Yankee Cynic, Ben Uticone, Troy Britain, Saber Woodard, and Christopher Gray for participating!

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36 comments

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1

Sili

27 July 2012 at 8:10 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

What’s with the hats?

But the baldy with the nice office is cute.
2

Sili

27 July 2012 at 8:12 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Oh. Good point from Esteleth about “collateral knowledge” – I don’t recall who coined the name.
3

John Morales

27 July 2012 at 8:58 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Can’t watch it, it’s running at 480p and exceeds my bandwidth.

(Maybe later, when I can crank the res down and perhaps start at the beginning)
4

Patricia, OM

27 July 2012 at 9:22 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Who is that beautiful young man with the hat and imperial? I may be in love. *swoon*
5

PZ Myers

27 July 2012 at 9:28 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Why weren’t you there? I mentioned in there that we need more women to participate!

(I think that you’re talking about Chris Gray.)
6

YankeeCynic

27 July 2012 at 9:31 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

It was an absolutely great time, PZ. Thanks again for hosting!
7

Amateur Hour

27 July 2012 at 9:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Missed it by seconds!

Great topics and talk.
8

reynoldhall

27 July 2012 at 9:41 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Nertz, I missed it too.

Oh well.
9

Jadehawk, mec fâché en jupe

27 July 2012 at 9:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I mentioned in there that we need more women to participate!

next time. this week, the weeds overtaking my garden took preference.
10

lpetrich

27 July 2012 at 9:54 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’m sorry if I have made myself unwelcome. :(
11

PZ Myers

27 July 2012 at 9:59 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I sent you an invitation, Loren!
12

lpetrich

27 July 2012 at 10:05 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Thanx, but I never got it. I don’t know what happened. Should I have assumed I’m invited and tried to join?
13

ChasCPeterson

27 July 2012 at 10:06 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Thanks to Esteleth, Samuel Mark, Michael Boys, Yankee Cynic, Ben Uticone, Troy Britain, Saber Woodard, and Christopher Gray for participating!

other than Esteleth: who?
14

Esteleth, Who Knows How to Use Google

27 July 2012 at 10:09 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

…and we are still talking.

About sex toys. :D :D :D
15

YankeeCynic

27 July 2012 at 10:13 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

It would appear that I stepped out early. Any chance I can rejoin?
16

Esteleth, Who Knows How to Use Google

27 July 2012 at 10:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Maybe. Give it a shot.
17

YankeeCynic

27 July 2012 at 10:16 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Hrmmm, I don’t have the option to rejoin. Any chance you can shoot me another invite?
18

Esteleth, Who Knows How to Use Google

27 July 2012 at 10:18 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

The “join this hangout” button on my G+ page is still live, YC.
19

YankeeCynic

27 July 2012 at 10:21 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’m afraid it isn’t populating on my end. Odd.
20

Esteleth, Who Knows How to Use Google

27 July 2012 at 10:24 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Try refreshing G+?
21

YankeeCynic

27 July 2012 at 10:26 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

No joy. It lists the hang-out as ended. Perhaps it still offers you the chance to join because you’re still in there?
22

Esteleth, Who Knows How to Use Google

27 July 2012 at 10:35 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

We are still talking, BTW, if others want in. I made a new hangout.
23

Josh, Official SpokesGay

27 July 2012 at 10:58 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Folks, thank you for providing entertainment! May I ~~beg, plead~~ please strongly suggest you identify the speakers, left to right, right up front? I know that you know who each of the others is. But we don’t, and it’s. . . frustrating. Please consider it SOP to take just a moment to write down the speakers and post them in order underneath the vid?
24

Akira MacKenzie

27 July 2012 at 10:58 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Just did a little post-showing Goggling, the Schlafly-spawn you were referring too is John Schlafly who is the director of the Alton, Illinois branch of the Eagle Forum.
25

Josh, Official SpokesGay

27 July 2012 at 10:59 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Ensuring that every participant sets up their vid feed correctly with a name tag identifying them would work great too.
26

YankeeCynic

27 July 2012 at 11:00 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

For the record, I’m the bald guy in the suit.
27

Josh, Official SpokesGay

27 July 2012 at 11:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Thanks, YankeeCynic.
28

Esteleth, Who Knows How to Use Google

27 July 2012 at 11:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’m the one with breasts.
29

One Thousand Needles

28 July 2012 at 12:16 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

The whole cast was intelligent, thoughtful, and well-spoken. Thanks for the show!
30

jimmauch

28 July 2012 at 8:58 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

When PZ was saying how we need a wider cross section of society such as entertainers to claim the athiest banner I could not help but think of british actor/comedian Stephen Fry. He seems to defy the conception that entertainers and especially comedians may claim to be atheist but are not intellegent enough to articulte a coherent argument for their position. Anyway how can you not believe in someone who has a proper British accent like that.
31

YankeeCynic

28 July 2012 at 11:49 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

On a semi-related note, I owe PZ a word of apology. I was reviewing some of the comments left on the Youtube video version of this discussion, and it would appear that my 9/11 Conspiracy Theory comments midway through have lost you a viewer!

Can you ever forgive me for doing you such an amazing disservice? What epic task must I undertake to achieve sufficient atonement for my crime?
32

Grimalkin

28 July 2012 at 1:50 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Oh man, I’d been looking for something to listen to while I crocheted a uterus. This was perfect.

A lot of the first part was surprisingly relevant to me, too. I haaate getting into debates over evolution, but recently ended up doing so anyways (because “I really don’t feel like having a philosophical debate” is an open invitation to talk about creationism.. but I digress)

And this debate reminded why I hate these debates so much, and they’re basically all points brought up in the video- the ‘beach bum’ arguing, the complete inability to see the difference between actual science and total bullshit, the fact that all they have to do is poke a hole (or think that they’ve done so) in your argument and shove god in there to be right, when you have to be able to remember and explain clearly a fuckton of sometimes quite complex science* to be given more than a shitty skeptical look by someone who is perfectly fine with waving their hands around and saying ‘miracles!’… augh. And the brickwalls when you haven’t memorized every single concept of biology and chemistry and physics… oh, the brickwalls.

Not much to say about the second part (apart from general agreement) though that definition of humanism is quite nice, I think. Short, sweet, and to the point and it really is accurate.

Also, I must say I loved the sheer number of fucks coming from Esteleth. So refreshing.

*-I was asked to describe how the first unicellular creatures originated, and later precisely how the universe originated, at the level of someone asking the question “so why are there still apes?” (This same person later remarked, of course, that they could totally comprehend how the universe began after I said that scientists are still working to figure it out)
33

saberwoodard

28 July 2012 at 2:53 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’m the nasal sounding guy with the terrible mic and no video *sigh*
There were a number of things rattling around in my mind and one thing I didn’t trust myself to say at the time… We surely aren’t going to lose in a debate of facts, but it worries me a bit that we don’t seem as… concise (or confident?) when we talk about values and how we assemble our ethics. For the record I see humanism as a moral outlook. I value freedom, life, justice, and compassion in that order (and I’ll accept any challenge on my list).
34

pipenta

28 July 2012 at 3:00 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Following the news over the course of a week, there’s grim stuff and it is hard not to feel choked by it.

I listen to this. I learn. I BREATHE!

.
35

billseymour

28 July 2012 at 8:08 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Re, the bit about how atheist conventions shouldn’t be all just lectures: personally, I really like sitting and being talked at.

But unlike some religious people, I recognize that not everybody is like me; and I note that the next opportunity I’ll have to see you is Skeptikon 5 where the “I paid good money for this” argument doesn’t apply. Will you give us something new, then?
36

tanoro

28 July 2012 at 10:38 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

(I think that you’re talking about Chris Gray.)

There was a woman among us wearing a sombrero, PZ :p