201. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260995 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 9:36 am

"PZ and Richard need clarify nothing, because they know this perfectly well."

To requote Peace. Why would RD and PZ endorse such a bad example of satire when there are so many other comedians that have just been posted normally in the news feed. Why put Pat Condell on the front page of your website? I couldn't believe it when I actually watched his videos. I just thought "Why is this boring rant being endorsed by RD?"

I agree it is a subjective point and therefore I am (respectfully) questioning Richard's taste. :)

202. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260832 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 4:58 am

Peace,

Exactly my thoughts.

203. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260829 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 4:49 am

My opinion of Pat Condell is as follows

I do not find him funny

I cannot see how others find him funny.

I think it is a mistake for RD and PZ to support a second rate "comedian".

Decius,

The point is that PZ and RD need to clarify whether they agree with his content or whether they just think it is amusing. Because he is a bad comedian his rants could be mistaken as tabloid-like in nature, unlike Brigstocks rants which are intended to be funny and are, most of the time.

204. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260808 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 4:04 am

Pat Condell is a comedian? Did I miss something?

205. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260799 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 3:48 am

I think Steve is saying that it is good to have strong opinions but it should not be at the expense of oversimplifying the issue.

I am guilty of oversimplication as much as the next man and I do have strong opinions. But I'm not as annoying as Pat Condell.

206. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260797 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 3:44 am

keith

"You know, I'm really not sure if I can subscribe to this as I'm a little uneasy about the worrying effects bla bla bla"

207. Strippers, armadillos inspire Ig Nobel winners

Comment #260784 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 3:27 am

It seems quite simple that the reason exotic dancers earn more is because their hormone levels are different and thus their behaviour is different. For example they may dance more salaciously if they are horny. It is this that effects their earnings. I don't think it's anything to do with the release of pheromones or super-subliminal messages.

208. Strippers, armadillos inspire Ig Nobel winners

Comment #260761 by JAMCAM87 on October 6, 2008 at 2:42 am

I always find it fascinating that by imagining a set of future events it helps to realise them when the time comes. If you live the moment before hand, like David Beckham does with his free kicks, then you are going to perform better. I heard of one snooker player who would spend 1hr just imagining how he would win the game. It strengthens the synapses or something.

209. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260375 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 12:14 pm

Cool, I agree.

210. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260361 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 11:40 am

Layla,

I am not saying that memetics is the only way of understanding the science behind cultural transmission.

However, you don't deny that cultural phenomena are natural?

My logic is as follows

1)Culture belongs to the same system that we belong to.
")Therefore it can be studied by science.

We just haven't got the means to tackle the hypothesis yet. It's only a matter of time. It's fine to say "I don't see how memes can be proven to be discrete units" but that doesn't get us anywhere. Science will gradually feel it's way towards the answer whether or not Richards' theory turns out to be correct.

:)

211. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260333 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 9:48 am

Comment #260112 by Layla Nasreddin

1. How on earth would you even start trying to "test" memes? They don't have a "code script," something that actually can be observed to do the replicating (like DNA for genes), at least that we know of (yet). How would one construct an actual test or study of memes? I mean, I find it very interesting, but it's the "prove to me that memes actually exist as discrete entities" bit that's got me. *puzzled*

2. I hope "destroying religion" would not be the main or primary reason to be interested in such research -- ideological reasons are certainly not the best reasons to follow a line of research! You should study memes because you think memetics is interesting, not to "kill off religion" (even if it may have such an effect)! :-P

212. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260332 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 9:38 am

You haven't frequented the Tolkien newsgroups, have you? The mental gymnastics that go on there to explain away minor plot inconsistencies only fall slightly short of full blown theological debate (which I suppose is fitting, as Tolkien consciously set out to write a mythology rather than just a plain novel)

213. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260330 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 9:35 am

bucketchemist

All I am saying is that I could quite easily concieve of another crazy story which, if millions of people believed it, would be socially acceptable. Scientology, having arisen 2000 years ago could be the norm in the civilised world today. There is nothing inherently special about one myth or another. That is why I disagree with your statement about religion not being on a par with a Harry Potter novel. Given a different set of historical events I may well be praying to the archangel Dumbledore like UNPROSPERO put so poetically.

214. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260329 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 9:26 am

I disagree. While I am personally very interested indeed, I'm mystified at the reverence that people who are not normally interested in particle physics have spent on the LHC.

There is some contrived media-powered bandwaggonry going on: a lot of people seem to think they *should* be interested, whether they genuinely are or not.

There is nothing ignorant about saying you aren't interested in something, especially if you know you won't understand it anyway. I imagine he might be interested in the implications the results might have, but there's no reason to expect him to understand what those implications might be.

215. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260266 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 3:45 am

Yeh I like Frankie Boyle, but he recently said that he didn't give a fuck about what results come out of the CERN project which is an incredibly ignorant thing to say.

216. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260265 by JAMCAM87 on October 5, 2008 at 3:40 am

bucketchemist

"as if the narratives which organise the psyche of millions of individuals was on a par with a Harry Potter novel."

do you honesty think it would not be possible to have a religion formed around harry potter? If you can believe Jesus was magic then you can believe anything. The only thing that distinguishes the bible from Lord of the Rings is that millions of people believe it is true.

217. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260107 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 4:24 pm

Comment No.1

"If our best survival strategy is simply to pretend to co-operate, rather than actually to do so, why should we have created and then embraced religions that required us to "walk the talk"?"

Because the memes replicate at expense of their host, might be a possible answer? Why evolve genuine co-operation when co-operation via religion is a much more infectious meme?

I'm not sure about the answer to your second question though.

218. Bill Maher's Religulous Opens Today

Comment #260104 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 4:16 pm

agki,

excellent that you donate to libraries, I hope others can follow your example. I certainly will try.

219. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260103 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 4:15 pm

Paula,

I could quite easily believe that in the past there was a complex interplay between the ehanced survival of religiously minded people (as well as their tendency to produce more offspring) and the memetic elements. But I think that the memetic elements would trump the genetic elements due to their inherent "rates" Genetic based evolution takes much longer than cultural evolution.

What scientists really need to do is start testing Richard's meme hypotheses because, should his hypotheses be correct, it would be biggest blow to religion since Darwin proposed his theory.

220. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260095 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 3:54 pm

Decius,

lol

221. Opiate of the masses - and evolutionary aid

Comment #260094 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 3:51 pm

Paula,

I thought that religion need not be linked to the success of genes but instead abides by the laws of memetics.

Genes are selected in the gene pool, memes in the meme pool (human brains).

Should the focus of the research not be devoted to memetic mechanisms in order to explain religion as a natural phenomenon?

222. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260090 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 3:46 pm

Old Sarum

Well that's a shame, I'm sorry to hear that. :)

223. Bill Maher's Religulous Opens Today

Comment #260085 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 3:29 pm

Can someone tell me, is it showing in Britain?

224. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260082 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 3:24 pm

I agree with Bonzai,

Old Sarum you are using definitions which nobody accepts and playing with words. Please be more clear.

225. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260078 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 3:01 pm

Cartomancer

"It's similar to the way gay people are popularly presented in the media as simpering, effeminate, flamboyant and insincere - something I have had cause to complain about in the past"

If only! Gay people are portrayed in the media as sexually loose and generally they have aids, simpering is hardly a stereotype to worry about. :)

226. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260076 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 2:56 pm

"I am excessively intolerant of religion. It's a kind of mental dysfunction. It's some sort of cobbled together madness with bits of OCD, sexual guilt and masochism."

You have been grasped by Richard's meme like almost everyone on this site has. I find myself doing exaclty the same thing with the newspaper that you do. The memes are in control not us.

HOWEVER, it is a GOOD meme and a meme that is essential in this time of religious uprising. The more of us that are plagued by Richard's memes the better. A meme for reason can hardly be a bad thing.

Hopefully one day, when religion is waning, Richard's meme (disdain for religion) is such a good meme that it will no longer be needed and we can be individuals, meme free.

Excuse me if this isn't coming out as clearly as it could.

Maybe we will cycle through an eternal uprising and diminishing of both reason memes and delusion memes in some sort of predator/prey curve. (I'm reading Dennet in case you haven't noticed).

227. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260038 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 1:13 pm

Old Sarum

"Religion has the potential to grow beyond God belief, & become an important part of the lives of people who have no need or desire for any literal belief in the supernatural)."

Religion by definiton involves belief in the supernatural. Your use of the word religion in this context is confusing. And also, I've never known Richard to be unreasonable in tone.

I like to think that my "religion" (in the way you put it) has gone beyond that of the supernatural. Like Sagan says science is just so much more wonderful than religion.

Steve,

I totally agree I think we should be much more reserved about placing Condell alongside the likes of Hitchens and Dawkins.

228. Frog Jesus

Comment #260034 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 1:06 pm

This croaked me up!

Ok I should stop now.

229. Frog Jesus

Comment #260033 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 1:05 pm

Toadly awesome!

230. Frog Jesus

Comment #260032 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 1:02 pm

Maybe this will "spawn" some sort of new religion?

231. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260022 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Steve,

Thank you very much for your previous post however, you are no maverick, I and quite a few others also dislike Pat Condell. :)

Edit - Not dislike personally I must clarify. I dislike the way he says things, I'm sure he's a nice guy.

232. YouTube Reinstates Pat Condell

Comment #260007 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 11:47 am

Steve,

I think you should be flattered by all the criticism you get. It shows that people are listening to what you have to say. I think what is happening is that people expect you to say something intelligent and original every time and when you don't, well, you get a fair bit of stick.

233. Seeing Red and Blue Can Divide a Species - of Fish

Comment #259930 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 8:03 am

popeye and j.mills,

I'm glad you also see the "flaw".

For there to be separation due to differing perception of colour there must first be geographical separation. There has to be an initial geographical spread of the fish down the water profile for the selection pressure of the wavelength to then do it's work.

Maybe someone who knows could clarify?

234. When Atheists Attack

Comment #259925 by JAMCAM87 on October 4, 2008 at 7:49 am

Re. Atheist Jon

There is a very large contradiction in Atheistjon's thinking.

He admits that there is no REASON to be disgusted by homosexuality. Therefore he is irrational. Therefore he cannot legitimately criticise others who say that, for instance, they just have a gut-feeling that God exists.

Surely when you realize that you hold a view which is irrational then you discard that view?

235. Petition YouTube for Pat Condell

Comment #259229 by JAMCAM87 on October 3, 2008 at 6:15 am

Steve said,

"In the same way that we should have standards of law, we should also have standards of medicine."

Peace,

In all fairness I think it is a good analogy. I can think of another analogy here too and that involves faith schools. The schooling, law and health systems of a country should all be secular, based on reason, and not make exception for religious differences. I could use your argument in support of separate Muslim schools. It is for the same reason that I signed the petition after having it been brought to my attention.

236. Seeing Red and Blue Can Divide a Species - of Fish

Comment #259226 by JAMCAM87 on October 3, 2008 at 6:05 am

Isn't there some confusion over what type of separation process is going on here?

Surely the fish have to be initially geographically separated (some live nearer the surface and others nearer the lake bottom) in order for their perception of colour to change?

Isn't this just an example of geographical separation?

237. Petition YouTube for Pat Condell

Comment #258720 by JAMCAM87 on October 2, 2008 at 10:01 am

Peace,

Pete's eh? Very funny.

238. Petition YouTube for Pat Condell

Comment #258719 by JAMCAM87 on October 2, 2008 at 10:00 am

I can't stand Pat Condell, his in-your-face attitude is awful.

"In the honour of Pat Condell"

What the fuck? Who wrote this?

239. Petition YouTube for Pat Condell

Comment #258388 by JAMCAM87 on October 2, 2008 at 1:17 am

What's all this "in honour of" rubbish, he hasn't died or anything.

240. Petition YouTube for Pat Condell

Comment #258384 by JAMCAM87 on October 2, 2008 at 1:10 am

Wow, getting banned for critisizing Sharia! I bet there are klu klux klan vids and Nazi vids which haven't been banned.

Anyway, signed the petition.

241. Respect for religion now makes censorship the norm

Comment #257787 by JAMCAM87 on October 1, 2008 at 5:41 am

Steve,

I agree about absolutism but I think that in a Utopian world (hence my use of Ideally) anything can and MUST be said. After all they are just words.

That is, anything up to death threats.

242. Sherri Shepherd, Bill Maher Spar Over God: Bill Tells Sherri She Should Go To Psych Ward

Comment #257784 by JAMCAM87 on October 1, 2008 at 5:36 am

Comment #257778 by Sargeist

Awesome headline. What a crap film.

I assumed she would be one of those highly intelligent female comedians. I have lost a great deal of respect for her.

243. Respect for religion now makes censorship the norm

Comment #257780 by JAMCAM87 on October 1, 2008 at 5:31 am

We always have to remember that it is not the terrorists who are responsible for the censorship and that it is ourselves who are to blame, for being cowardly in the extreme. Terrorists will always exist in some form, it is how we deal with them that matters.

Ideally we should be absolutist about freedom of speech but I can concieve, from a political-tactics point of view, that being accommodating towards people's beliefs would allow extremist groups to be "absorbed" into the civilised world.

244. Sherri Shepherd, Bill Maher Spar Over God: Bill Tells Sherri She Should Go To Psych Ward

Comment #257772 by JAMCAM87 on October 1, 2008 at 5:14 am

I never knew Whoopi Goldberg so was dumb.

245. Blinded by a divine light

Comment #256854 by JAMCAM87 on September 29, 2008 at 3:22 pm

Apologies for confusion over names.

246. Blinded by a divine light

Comment #256835 by JAMCAM87 on September 29, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Comment #256317 by Polaris29 on September 29, 2008 at 4:16 am

President of the Royal Society - Lord Martin Rees is not religious, he is an atheist and he indeed embrace the theory of evolution, he also quoting Charles Darwin very frequently.

This whole controversy was a mistake and misinterpretation. The Royal Society is opposed to creationism and always will be

247. 'God as Science Fiction'. Richard Dawkins at the Edinburgh Book Festival

Comment #256820 by JAMCAM87 on September 29, 2008 at 2:43 pm

Diacanu you couldn't interview Richard you'd make him look like an intellectual lightweight. ;)

248. Blinded by a divine light

Comment #256260 by JAMCAM87 on September 29, 2008 at 2:44 am

I wrote to the Royal Society asking for Reiss to be sacked. For him to walk into Director of Science Education is a deliberate insult. This is actually a step backwards! The RS (or whoever is responsible for his reappointment) should be ashamed.

249. The world according to Hitchens

Comment #255836 by JAMCAM87 on September 28, 2008 at 11:08 am

"Even a right decision, if made for the wrong reasons, can be a wrong decision."In (dare I say) civilized societies a mark of a moral government is truthfulness to its own people, and telling lies about an event just for gain is reprehensible. At the root of the matter, for me, stands the idea that latent results cannot absolve responsibility from those who were explicit about goals. A poster somewhere above mentioned that we didn't do anything when Saddam was gassing the Kurds, and it's true. Most countries never do anything unless it benefits them, and that is very nearly acceptable. Furthermore, lack of a UN Mandate is not necessarily a mark of an unjust conflict, as the US's involvement in the Slavic region indicates.

250. The world according to Hitchens

Comment #255795 by JAMCAM87 on September 28, 2008 at 8:30 am

S. Paul Wood

"And as for befriending holocaust deniers this is simply a free speech issue, you do agree with the principle of free speech don't you?"

If you actually read my post carefully you will see that I view his befriending of holocaust deniers as a good thing. I think people can say whatever they like.

Hitchens moved to the right because he enjoys going against the intellectual grain which is predominantly left wing. He feels like he does people a service when he challenges their views. I would go so far as to say that he doesn't even care that much about the point he is arguing. He just enjoys to argue.

But don't get me wrong, I admire him immensely despite this.

"Oh and you admit that invading was the right thing to do!"

Yes 15/20 YEARS AGO. Oh and avenging the thousands of Kurds was never mentioned prior to invasion.

The Iraq war was illegal. A country should only be invaded with threat of imminent genocide - not because you

a)want to profit
b)control oil
c)win a second term in office
d)please God
e)punish the Iraqi people for Sept 11th which had nothing to do with Iraq

You should rethink some of these issues before you believe every word that Hitchens says.