Author Topic: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions  (Read 2814 times)

splashscuba

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Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« on: September 11, 2024, 11:24:41 AM »
This pretty much sums up my world view on Atheism and religions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUUpvrP-gzQ
I have an infinite number of belief systems cos there are an infinite number of things I don't believe in.

I respect your right to believe whatever you want. I don't have to respect your beliefs.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2024, 03:15:26 PM »
This pretty much sums up my world view on Atheism and religions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUUpvrP-gzQ
What would you say were the top 5 issues Gervais has with "Religions"?

splashscuba

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2024, 03:26:03 PM »
What would you say were the top 5 issues Gervais has with "Religions"?
You'd have to ask him
I have an infinite number of belief systems cos there are an infinite number of things I don't believe in.

I respect your right to believe whatever you want. I don't have to respect your beliefs.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2024, 03:40:23 PM »
You'd have to ask him
He gave an interview to the wall street journal so it's probably clearer there than trying to separate performance from substance on a YouTube video.

Mind you, my interest in pursuing this thread is likely to wear off before I "get on stage" as it were.

splashscuba

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2024, 09:19:19 PM »
He gave an interview to the wall street journal so it's probably clearer there than trying to separate performance from substance on a YouTube video.
He always seems pretty consistent to me. Either way, his utterances resonate with me.
Quote
Mind you, my interest in pursuing this thread is likely to wear off before I "get on stage" as it were.
OK, bye then.
I have an infinite number of belief systems cos there are an infinite number of things I don't believe in.

I respect your right to believe whatever you want. I don't have to respect your beliefs.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2024, 11:00:55 PM »
He always seems pretty consistent to me. Either way, his utterances resonate with me.OK, bye then.
Thought you'd already checked out reply#2

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2024, 10:05:50 AM »
He always seems pretty consistent to me. Either way, his utterances resonate with me.OK, bye then.
Here he is in the Wall Street journal it’s 14 years ago but if , as you say, he always seems pretty consistent, it should still be representative of the man

https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-SEB-56643

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2024, 06:49:35 AM »
Gervais from the previous article
Quote
People who believe in God don't need proof of his existence, and they certainly don't want evidence to the contrary.

Evidence? What type of evidence is he talking about?

Quote
I don't believe in God because there is absolutely no scientific evidence for his existence

So then. What is the scientific evidence to the contrary?
« Last Edit: September 20, 2024, 06:56:28 AM by Walt Zingmatilder »

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2024, 07:12:52 AM »
This pretty much sums up my world view on Atheism and religions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUUpvrP-gzQ
One or two horses laughs, one or two times I thought “I’ve never come across these people and I doubt you have”.

Gordon

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2024, 07:13:38 AM »
Gervais from the previous article
Evidence? What type of evidence is he talking about?

So then. What is the scientific evidence to the contrary?

If 'God' is an incoherent claim about which nothing meaningful can be said, because there is nothing specific enough in the form of credible evidence to rebut - then there can be no 'contrary evidence' no matter how often you ask for some.

Therefore 'God' is an unfalsifiable and meaningless claim that is easily dismissed as nonsensical.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2024, 07:23:05 AM »
If 'God' is an incoherent claim about which nothing meaningful can be said, because there is nothing specific enough in the form of credible evidence to rebut - then there can be no 'contrary evidence' no matter how often you ask for some.

Therefore 'God' is an unfalsifiable and meaningless claim that is easily dismissed as nonsensical.
Show incoherence.

Gordon

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2024, 07:44:23 AM »
Show incoherence.

Something for which there is no credible evidence and involves claims of supernatural agency/miracles - the burden of proof here is yours.

I have made clear my views in several posts in the Secular Nativity thread yesterday which I don't intend to repeat - plus I have a lot of kid-related stuff to do today.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2024, 07:58:45 AM »
Something for which there is no credible evidence and involves claims of supernatural agency/miracles - the burden of proof here is yours.

I have made clear my views in several posts in the Secular Nativity thread yesterday which I don't intend to repeat - plus I have a lot of kid-related stuff to do today.
The definition of incoherent is something which is illogical, inconsistent and unclear.
Since you are claiming these you have to show what is illogical, what is inconsistent and what is unclear and where the actual fallacy lies.

Where is the credible evidence contrary to God.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2024, 08:02:00 AM by Walt Zingmatilder »

Gordon

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #13 on: September 20, 2024, 08:07:54 AM »
The definition of incoherent is something which is illogical, inconsistent and unclear.
Since you are claiming these you have to show what is illogical, what is inconsistent and what is unclear and where the actual fallacy lies.

Where is the credible evidence contrary to God.

I refer the honourable gentleman to my many previous posts on this - I have no burden of disproof here: the burden of proof for 'God' is all yours.

Now - if you'll excuse me I have two grandkids to get ready for school and then do the school run.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2024, 08:15:17 AM »
I refer the honourable gentleman to my many previous posts on this - I have no burden of disproof here: the burden of proof for 'God' is all yours.

Now - if you'll excuse me I have two grandkids to get ready for school and then do the school run.
Can you then cite the posts where you demonstrated illogicality, inconsistency and unclarity.

Since arguments over whether that is true are being had elsewhere let us concentrate on Gervais.

He says Theists cannot prove God and don’t want to hear evidence to the contrary.

We know he means scientific evidence so where is his scientific evidence to the contrary.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2024, 08:19:10 AM by Walt Zingmatilder »

Nearly Sane

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #15 on: September 20, 2024, 08:18:42 AM »
Your previous posts tell us nothing of consequence Gordon.

Since arguments over whether that is true are being had elsewhere let us concentrate on Gervais.

He says Theists cannot prove God and don’t want to hear evidence to the contrary.

We know he means scientific evidence so where is his scientific evidence to the contrary.
Gervais is making a category error. ''God' isn't a naturalistic claim. It's not subject to scientific evidence. It would need a specific definition of evidence for or against which would need a methodology to evaluate the claim. In the absence of such a methodology, which you have been asked for many many times, and failed to provide, thr claim has no logical coherence because it is not subject to evidence.

SteveH

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #16 on: September 20, 2024, 08:36:59 AM »

So then. What is the scientific evidence to the contrary?
For all the half-baked pseudo-philosophical guff you spout, you still don't understand the burden of proof principle, do you?
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #17 on: September 20, 2024, 08:38:00 AM »
Gervais is making a category error. ''God' isn't a naturalistic claim. It's not subject to scientific evidence. It would need a specific definition of evidence for or against which would need a methodology to evaluate the claim. In the absence of such a methodology, which you have been asked for many many times, and failed to provide, thr claim has no logical coherence because it is not subject to evidence.
You are proposing then that logic only operates within naturalism. You would need to make the case for that.

What you are saying is what I think you’ve been alluding to is science is the only methodology possible and so logic does not work without science which doesn’t work without matter/energy.

However, let us take the argument from contingency contingent things depend on something else for there existence. We cannot be left with inexplicable or unreasonable contingency so that gives a space in logic to be filled by a non contingent entity.

There you go then, that looks methodical and logical.

You see Sane, the distinction between the natural and superficial is recent and arbitrary.

Your proposal that God is incoherent and illogical is certainly controversial.

Nearly Sane

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #18 on: September 20, 2024, 08:42:23 AM »
You are proposing then that logic only operates within naturalism. You would need to make the case for that.

What you are saying is what I think you’ve been alluding to is science is the only methodology possible and so logic does not work without science which doesn’t work without matter/energy.

However, let us take the argument from contingency contingent things depend on something else for there existence. We cannot be left with inexplicable or unreasonable contingency so that gives a space in logic to be filled by a non contingent entity.

There you go then, that looks methodical and logical.

You see Sane, the distinction between the natural and superficial is recent and arbitrary.

Your proposal that God is incoherent and illogical is certainly controversial.
I didn't say science was the only method possible. That's why I asked you again for a methodology to show evidence for the claim. And you again failed to provide one. Lying about what I said is tedious.

The 'logic' you attempt is merely a set of unevidenced assertions illustrating the logical incoherence of the claim because you can't demonstrate them.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2024, 08:58:48 AM »
I didn't say science was the only method possible. That's why I asked you again for a methodology to show evidence for the claim. And you again failed to provide one. Lying about what I said is tedious.

The 'logic' you attempt is merely a set of unevidenced assertions illustrating the logical incoherence of the claim because you can't demonstrate them.
Sorry I meant supernatural rather than superficial.


Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #20 on: September 20, 2024, 09:11:35 AM »
I didn't say science was the only method possible. That's why I asked you again for a methodology to show evidence for the claim. And you again failed to provide one. Lying about what I said is tedious.

The 'logic' you attempt is merely a set of unevidenced assertions illustrating the logical incoherence of the claim because you can't demonstrate them.
I’m sorry, unevidenced? Contingent things are unevidenced?

Nearly Sane

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #21 on: September 20, 2024, 09:19:07 AM »
I’m sorry, unevidenced? Contingent things are unevidenced?
In the approach you are taking yes, . It assumes cause and effect but that's a supposition because things seem to work that way but it's no an absolute as you treat it here. You then assume that there is, and can be such a thing as a a necessary thing based on nothing other than assertion. It's your old habit of begging the question
 

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #22 on: September 20, 2024, 09:40:18 AM »
In the approach you are taking yes, . It assumes cause and effect but that's a supposition because things seem to work that way but it's no an absolute as you treat it here. You then assume that there is, and can be such a thing as a a necessary thing based on nothing other than assertion. It's your old habit of begging the question
So science is incoherent then. We can all pack up and go home.
I have shown how a necessary being is arrived at So I have not just said there is a necessary being.
You seem to be ramming Hume down our throats.

Nearly Sane

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and religions
« Reply #23 on: September 20, 2024, 10:25:55 AM »
So science is incoherent then. We can all pack up and go home.
I have shown how a necessary being is arrived at So I have not just said there is a necessary being.
You seem to be ramming Hume down our throats.
No, science is a method when some a methodology based on a set of assumptions. It doesn't say how that is  an absolute. You are are time to appear to draw conclusions about absolutes based on on an assumptions.

You haven't demonstrated anything about a necessary being. And just asserting something that you haven't just asserted something is just another assertion.


Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Interview with Rick Gervais on Atheism and relig
« Reply #24 on: September 20, 2024, 10:36:48 AM »
No, science is a method when some a methodology based on a set of assumptions. It doesn't say how that is  an absolute. You are are time to appear to draw conclusions about absolutes based on on an assumptions.

You haven't demonstrated anything about a necessary being. And just asserting something that you haven't just asserted something is just another assertion.
Gibberish. Science is based on observation of cause and effect not the intellectual masturbations of some chancer with a funny hat (Hume)
« Last Edit: September 20, 2024, 10:42:36 AM by Walt Zingmatilder »