- Consuelo Ballesteros
- libreme4
- libreme4@yahoo.com
- http://connie-criticalthinking.blogspot.com
- yes
- yes
- C/C+ ....http://connie-criticalthinking.blogspot.com/2008/03/midterm.html
WK 1:Richard Feynman
My first reaction seeing this film was, "wow, this is going to be fun staring at a man for more than half an hour" but then as i started to get more into the movie and actually started paying attention, i thought to myself, this man is a genius. Just the ways that he described his father teaching him the littlest things that some other parents don't even bother talking about. What i thought was interesting was when he said that his father would try to explain everything as much as possible so he can get a actuality of the thing. For example the dinosaur. I just wonder to myself, how can a human being want to know so much about things that other don't even bother trying to figure out. The mentality of that man and just the way of thinking, you can say that his father had some influence on that. But one thing that did made me glad, as he said he did not think of himself like he had to isolate himself with other members of society that had the same kind of intelligence as him. When he was talking about that group in school, he knew did not want to be there because all they did was talk about who else they can get to join the group. they never worked their intelligence, they just flaunted it off and richard as far we know, wanted to make something out of it.
WK 1:Critical thinking Film KARMA
This film to me was quite interesting because it seems almost impossible how a human being can have these future seeings and actually predict what is going to happen. I mean, a normal person walking down the street and seeing others walk by can actually read and see what is to come for them in the future. I know that sounds like of corny, but honestly why do so mane people in life today believe it is true. Why do we go to physics, call "holy" people on the hot line, go to a card reader when in fact we know, we are going to hear something that is probably not true. or if they do tell us something, we are going to try our best to make it happen if we believe in it so much.
At first, this video did not make sense but when i saw that part of the boyfriend getting shot by the girlfriend then it hit to me that this was something that was going to happen to them after they have walked by the main guy in the video. Yes, it is kind of true too that bad things happen to those who do incorrect things and those others are rewarded with good things. But not all the time, does karma take place. If only it would, then all of us would of suffered something bad already.
WK 1:Bertrand russell
To start off with saying that he likes to think with clarity and that makes mankind, opens the video with such perception of he knows what he is talking about. It is true as he says that if we all think with exact thinking, things could be so much better but since we all make mistakes, we make bad choices.
Even though this was a short film clip, it still has a lot to say about Russell's way of looking at things. Clear thinking to him is what everyone should be doing because it helps us humans get a better look at what we are really looking at. Trying to get a better understanding of life and such.
WK 1:Cold readings
This article has a lot of useful information like, never go to a physic reader or those others that say they know your future. Pretty much this article is talking about the tactics that all those readers use to make their client leave happy and hopefully come back and empty their pockets with them. A cold reading, which is what it sounds like, is a reading when the reader knows absolutely nothing about the client but tries to do their best to get something out of them to lead them where to start their "magical" power. I do agree with the fact that the environment takes us away and makes us believe everything just because we are in a place that is not like home. For example as in the scent and the freaky crystal ball that a reader might have. Makes us feel like this person might really be something special.
Yes, actually visiting these members does not mean that everything they have told us is going to happen, but instead we take it in and interpret it as if they made our day. they have took their time to tell us something that we all want to hear once in a while, what we want to happen in our future. But i just don't understand if we know that, then why do we keep on going back to them and spending dollars as if they grow out of trees. Spend money to hear someone talk about things that i might already know or tell me things that i know will never happen, is not one of my options ever.
Wk 1:Critical thinking in an Online World
A librarian may be only looked at like a lady or man that sits in a library all day and helps those that need help to find some kind of resources for a specific item. After reading this article, i truly learned how to appreciate these people that devote their time to helping others. I never knew that these ladies and gentlemen actually have classes to offer like workshops. I honestly never thought being a librarian was hard. What i am lost about is that i don't know if they are upset that the online search tools are hurting their careers or helping them for the best. I know it is much convenient for people now a days to sit at home and just pop out their computer and search the net for information and pretty much anything they want. Its much more convenient then driving down to a local library and searching literally for the item and then standing in line to check it out and then have to come back to return it.
I know we are passing on wonderful opportunities of instruction and being taught how to think critically and such. As John Dewey explains, it is easier to find out resources through a librarian because they are our teachers, and we look up online at home, we are doing it by ourselves with no help and when we get stuck, nobody is there to walk us through it. As said in the article " Let them teach us who come to them, make up on their strengths and not on their past".
Wk 1:Cargo Cult Science
This article was something that i found interesting because it was talking about how us human beings never try to doubt something that already has been published as being scientifically correct. Richard Feynman gives a such clear minded thoughts to us that make me wonder how a human being can be so intelligent and gifted to want to know about things that others wont even bother knowing. Cargo cult science to me at first sounded like a cult in where people do things and that first result they get, without experimenting it again, that is their results. I guess when i was reading through this article, i found that my definition was not quite exact but something close to it.
The thing that i found interesting was the part of the rat testing. The scientist, Mr.Young, that was testing the rats did not know why the rats kept on going right through the door that had the food and of course, automatically everyone would think because of the smell of the food. That was incorrect and i actually admire the tester for trying to find solutions and ways to get to train the rats to enter through the third door. I liked how instead of others telling him to stop because there was no solution for it, Feynman gave him advice on what might be triggering the rats to go through the door with the food and of course his advice was the right thing. Its incredible because honestly, i would of never thought of changing the sound of the floor they were stepping on to get them to be trained to enter the third door. Only Richard. But i did like his ending statement, May we have that freedom to not lose our integrity.
Wk 1:Viruses of the Mind
In this article i found it very interesting that the author, Richard Dawkins, compares us humans to computers. We and them get infected with viruses and some how spread them around to everyone who is exposed to it. At first, i asked myself is this an article about computers or about critical thinking but then as i got deeper into it, i realized what a great comparison has been made. The way that he talks about faith being an infection that most people carry and even doubt ourselves sometimes because since there is no evidence, we still believe it. The symptoms part kind of made me doubt myself. The way a human being can come up with all these statements and not be scared about others threatening him, is courageous as he describes that others have been killed for contradicting the term "faith and belief".
But at times i still ask myself, "is there really a superior person out there who actually controls everything around us?" i know there is no evidence of such, but i guess it gives people a fulfilled feeling of happiness to know that there is something out there much greater than us. As Dawkins talked about the part of "mysteries", i agree with him because that makes the human mind think that there might be a chance of it being true but at the same time, puts doubts out there. I am just still truly amazed on how this author takes time to research these things and actually publish them for others, like me, to read them and doubt our mind set and beliefs.
Wk 3:the himalayan connection
What i really found interesting about this article was the fact that they were describing as the sight seeing of UFOs to be totally in one persons mind. The imagination takes over and makes you believe anything that has happened, as such to those who say they were once abducted. The last step that i liked, the mixing of translation and transformation to make up the term transfusion. As recalled with that man that said he encountered an abduction, but in fact is just a hallucination but his mind makes him completely believe that he has encountered an abduction. I thought that was quite funny.
I don't know if we doubt UFOs so much, then why are there UFO-ologists? i wonder if they actually believe there are things that fly into earth and show off and then leave. I actually wonder if they ever doubt themselves and asks themselves why did they enter the field they did. Lyotards encounter i think might have been some asteroid or something but its kind of hard to actually say when this man is an architect with some name under his belt. I thought this article was fun to read and intellectual about the fact that there might or might not be UFOs out there, but whatever the case, we know the human mind takes over a little and brings hallucinations.
Wk 3:The Physics Behind Four Amazing Demonstrations
As I started to read this article i was questioning myself, is man really true? can the mind actually overcome the physical dangers of performing these dangerous stunts? I guess so. David Willey, would be such a fun teacher to have if were taking a physics class. Come on, i mean who would not want to have a teacher that actually takes his like into his hands and puts himself in danger just to show his classmates that certain things can be over come with science? My reaction to the dipping the hand into the molten lead was incredible. I never it was possible to do that even if you dip it in water before hand.
But i still ask myself how does someone get to find out that to do before hand in order not to get hurt? i mean, how does he know to dip his hand into water before the molten lead? how does he get to find out that in order not to smashed in between nails and a concrete block? I mean, they must test these many times before performing them live, right? Too many questions, so much more to find out.
Wk 3:Ken Miller on Intelligent Design
This video openly talked about how the fact that society still does not take it into consideration that our children are learning about the real truth and it may destroy their source of religion. But to go out and actually put stickers on biology books for caution towards science? I thought that was kind of foolish honestly. I liked how Miller says that if he would of had a chance to put that sticker on there, he would of mentioned about the ability to be open mindedness. He thinks that the sticker did not go far enough for the caution material.
But we do ask ourselves, why are there so many people out there attacking evolution? like Miller mentioned the website of answersingenesis.com, i just cant believe they think that evolution is a cause of homosexuality and abortion and topics like that. It is true like he said, evolution is a shaky science but i do not believe we should threaten and send hate mail to those who believe. I think we should stand for what we believe in and let those others who don't, believe in whatever they want to. The court cases were actually interesting to know that Miller was involved in many of them and just knowing that the news world wanted some sort of hatred message from him to the outer world. Miller, I believe stands for what he believes in and wont back down even if they keep on sending him hate mail and talking trash. He will support all others scientists beliefs of evolution and will do very well to keep on teaching it to students.
WK 1:Beyond Belief Session 1
In this conference meeting i found it interesting that these scientists "speakers" can have so much knowledge to teach a auditorium of others trying to drown their minds with ideas and facts. The speaker that i found the most interesting was Lawrence Craft. I found him speaking in a way that kept it interesting every minute he spoke. The things he chose to say actually had a quite influence on me, such as saying that science is the one that makes is possible to "not believe" in go. I found that moving because i was looking for a sentence to put it all together and that was basically it. We have to accept the fact that evolution happened whether or not we believe in a god and that is what basically keeps the science field moving forward to find out other things.
WK 1:Beyond Belief: Session 2
In this part of the conference meeting i found it very incredible that this next speaker, Neil deGrasse Tyson included information on scientists that were from that pass such as in talking about Galileo talking to the dutchess. The statement that she said was incredible, the bible tells us how to get to heaven, not how heaven is and works. That honestly took my breath away. It is so weird how people from back then, can make a human being such as in in today's time, think about so many things and respect them for having the knowledge they did. Neil did bring humor to the crowd though, but at some point i found that offensive that he was just making fun of everything else that wasn't in his belief. It did bring to my attention the offensive ending, why 15 percent don't reject god. But not in the matter of my religion and beliefs, but why not let other people that do believe in religion, let them be rule their own life. I know that critical thinkers, or these speakers, make all other religions a joke but we have to see that others live their life throughout their religion. Its a bizarre world to live, but at the same time we do live in it like Sam Harris saidWk 3: Eleven
This short film had a real meaning to it and we should all interpret it in a good way. Try not to judge others and release our hate towards those that we do not like. I know it must of been hard for him to lose his father, but doing the same mistake twice by hurting some that did not even belong to the group he supposedly hated. I think that it is foolish for someone to bring threats and problems to someone for believing other things that those of that one person. The 9-11 attack was caused by terrorists but now a days, people automatically think that any person that is a Muslim or wears a Turk, is one. This is what society today needs to open their eyes. We should not judge by religions or appearances. See, this young man not even belonging to the Muslim group had his life stolen just because of someone Else's stupid mistake.
Wk 4: Freeman Dyson & the mathematical universe.
This video featuring Freeman Dyson made me confused a bit. So i don't know why some critical thinkers or scientists believe in religion. Like in his place, he said that he pertained to a special religion not because he believed in it but was amazed at what the people did as in religious traditions. I liked when he talks about his quotes and saying that those are scientifically proven but just his connection he sees within science and religion. That made question then why are some out there that study science hate religion so much and criticize it?
Why cant they just be like Dyson, have a mind of a agnostic people that applies things to religion and science at the same time. He says he likes the Christianity but he thinks he believes in the Christianity without theology. Thinking that if he worked without believing in religion, there would be life within him. I like how he thinks a person to have some sanity is to have some kind of escape from the real world and overwhelm yourself with spirit and faith. All of his analogies were great and made me understand on an easier level to what he was trying to say, nothing better than scientists that believes there is a point to religion and life without out would be pointless.
Wk 4:Critical thinking films
The first film The secret of Faqir, made me think what to do first. Should i read the text of listen to the song first? well i watched it twice to piece it together. It made sense after a while. Is pretty much saying that he recognized that he did not have magical powers of such but he did know that he made people feel better about themselves. What i admire that he asked his guru trying to give him pointers on how to do better and he gave him an answer that we all should abide by: Believe in yourself. give yourself some faith that you can pretty much accomplish anything you want. That is what i took upon watching the short video. No matter what religion or in what kind of god you believe in, every human being must think a certain way to be happier and content with life.
the second short film which was of Nicolas Cusa made no sense to me at first but after really getting into the quotes, it got interesting. The fact that when we actually hold no sanity in us, is actually when we let go of god. Cusa's quote talking about attainment, getting a hold of something you really want but using your own effort to do so just makes it all such a beautiful place. Everything is earned with sacrifice or some sort.
WK4: The Tibetan Book of the Dead
Faqir Chand medidated a lot and for that reason was sought to be a man of a million powers. No, but he was not. He just decided to concentrate on life and live it at his highest peak. The relation of his dreams and seeings with the book of Tibetan, made it clear that this was not just an ordinary man. I liked the fact that when he had dreams that were said to be messages of such, he looked further into them and tried to get a better understanding of what they were really meaning. He made it to clear to the people that not everything that has come out of his mouth is true but indeed it is his conclusion on his life. Being attatched to nothing nor anyone makes it easier to realize that death is just a thing that happens and we dont know where we go after that. As Faqir said that he did not know where he would be going after his death, he made clear to produce his outlooks on life point by point as to the book of Tibetan. This man was something else maybe not the pope nor God, but he knew something else that many of us are still trying to figure out someday. Faqir Chand, i believe held something valuable within him and he tried his best to figure out what he could of done better to let us know about that.
Wk 4: Pretext/text/context Part 1&2
This article gave me some kind of perspective of what we really are here for. Like Professor Lane said, we are here on this universe and we really cant define it but we know other things that really don't have an importance at all. Part one of the Pretext/Text/Context made sense to me when i read that if we really try to describe every single thing to the smallest detail, then the whole context of the thing will get lost. As for the example made, sentences are made out of words, words are made out of letters and so on. If we try to describe the context of the letters itself, it would be getting into composure's of ink and threads like said by Professor Lane. It makes sense when actually someone else thinks about it and writes it down. For all i knew, the universe we lived in, is just a big circle in the middle of universe. things around us we cant even figure out how or why they happen, but when we want to pick at discussions about why there is no religion and why its foolish because there is no evidence, some make it seem they have gone through mountains and oceans to find out information for those purposes.
WK 4: Why i am not a christian
From the insight of Bertrand Russell's mind, it is obvious he has had some serious discussions and researching tools for saying that being a Christian is not the same as before. What he says does make sense to me and i actually can relate. I like it how he says that if God put us here for a reason and created everything around us, and which we all have a purpose, then what is his purpose? Who created God must of been a question that i have never really thought about it until today when reading this article. Russell has many reasons not to believe in Christianity and has a total passage way to think that all those who think they are ones, just do it to feel safer. I think its true and agree with Russell. We humans don't know what else is out there since we are so insignificant when looking at the whole picture,and just need that assurance of someone bigger than us. Like him talking about " a big brother" of some sort.
It just makes so much better sense when i am reading this and actually putting the pieces together. If Christ is good and would want the best for all of us, then like Russell explains, then why would he want some to burn in hell forever for sins they committed? IT MAKES SENSE! People , i think made up an image of someone more powering than us "God" to make us feel safe and live by rules that were probably or even just made by them back in the day to make it all more real.
Wk 1 &2: Believer Skeptic
Got to start off with what a great book to make your head hurt. What Professor Lane has written and tried to explain, is too difficult to take in at first but slowly things start to break down little by little. I just don't get it why so much hate towards Wilber. I mean, i know he thinks differently and such but if that's his way of thinking, why take him down? I like the concept of the book though. One thing that i did take out of it was those misconceptions that all of us have about miracles. Maybe they just are things that happen on a normal basis, plenty times a day and we don't even notice it but only tend to notice it when we want to. I liked the example given about Feynman's experience compared to that one of Wilber's. I honestly would of thought Feynman's experience with his wife's death and the clock stopping right as she passed away, would of been such an incredible miracle. Honestly, who would not think that it would be one? Only those that think critically and analyze things too much , such as is Feynman would believe it was just the clocks en of time and it had nothing to do with his wife's death. Come on, that must take something to believe there is no connection there. WOW! But in ending, great book on explaining on how evolution happens as time passes by and mutates, rather than thinking it is something magical as interpreted by Wilber.
Wk 3: Field to Critical thinking
Lett is basically letting us know how to evaluate any kind of information in order to prove something is actually correct and true. We must have no need to lie to ourselves even though we want to believe what we are seeing or reading.The trick to proving something is accurate, is only to bring out the right things and test them. From his test and beliefs that with his tactics, that one can judge the information of something to be accurate. We must be honest to ourselves when evaluating information or else the whole technique of proving something will fall apart.
WK 7: Beyond Belief 8
The talk about religion in the UK was surprising to me. For kids to be
talking about if they were prime ministers they were to separate roman
catholic from protestants, and protestants would let all other roman
catholics. How awkward. the short clip that i found interesting was
when the senator was answering a students question. How to become a
senator. What he pretty much said was not waste your time in science
if you will not be entering the science field. I guess what the
speaker was trying to prove was that science seems to people just like
a field of study that does not matter. Science does matter because all
around us is science. It is is pointless if you live here and do not
understand how everything came to be, other than if you think God
created everything around you. Science holds so many answers to many
thinks we might have questions to. I dont think God can answer all the
questions, right? I have never heard the guy talk back.at least in
science, there is evidence, books, videos and scientist who hold much
knowledge of the subject and want to bring knowledge into others
Week 7: Beyond Belief 9
This conference i liked. It was interesting how Dawkins went to a pastor and his church to tell him all is doing is pretty much wasting his time. Tell him that what he does, there is no evidence supporting a God that all religions talk about. One thing that i did not expect was the pastor telling him in his face that all he showed was intellectual arrogance. Those are scientists, philosophers and critical thinkers whom which have a problem with people that believe in faith. I thought that actually was a good come back because i would get personally offended if someone tried coming into my church and telling me that i was a liar and that i all i do is a waste of time. It just seems like all of these scientists and non religion believers, all they will do is go round round in loop holes. Will there ever be a winner or as i should say , an ending to this war of what is right or wrong? fake or true? will there ever be peace?
Week5/6BEYOND BELIEF 10
Mahzarin i thought, started out very cold by saying that one less
religion in this world is one less thing to deal with. Actually she
does make a point because every religion that is present here on
earth, trying for people join their "cult" makes it more complicated
for those that just want to believe in whatever they want without the
need of help from a group or others. I think that there is no need to
be a member in any religion. Even if i did believe in God as a super
powerful human being, i don't think just because i was not involved
with a group that does events that are just a wasteful time, he would
hate me and not love me or except me into his "wonderful kingdom". Is
there one? What i liked about this speaker was that she involved the
audience in her exercises which were quite fun and interesting. So
easy to do them but to know that we are completing them using our bias
mentality because that is what we are use to categorizing my sex and
professions. I like the way she uses these kind of exercises rather
than surveys, because as she said surveys suck. They just take a
certain number of society and question them and base that percentage
as if it were based on every single person.
Richard Dawkins according to this session, was one of my favorite
speakers because he talked about genes and natural selection. He kept
referring back to Darwin's term of natural selection and how the
things we have now, have been perfected within the last years due to
changes and mutations. One thing that he ponited out was the beginning
of his speech. the picture of the kids in a play labeled with they
name , age and religion. I would of never noticed he would of never
pointed out that it is kind of child abuse. To label a human being
without giving them time to go out there and explore their decisions,
they are labeled with their parents religion. Not just that, but why
even label these kids? I know that when they are young they cannot do
much for themselves and need most of the help from parents, but to
declare their religion without them choosing it already at the age of
4 is completely wrong. I thank him for showing that because it really
opened my eyes in some kind of weird way. Other than talking about
genes and morality, it bothered me when he was reading Lincoln's
testament. To know that one former president of the US said that he
prefers for the white race to be one day superior and to never change
from that way, just brings thoughts of how bad could it have been back
in those days? must of been filled with racism and sadness to those
who were not white.
| WK 5/6: Beyond Belief 6 |
bible came out in this one and were discussed. When Susan was talking
about how in the bible it reads a story of Abraham listening to God's
advice to sacrifice his own son, now why would a man that tends to
love each and every one of us no matter what, tell a father to do that
to his son? Was this actually an event that occurred or could it of
been a tale passed down on to many generations to finally sit in front
of us all? I liked her saying on tales. Tales give some kind of sense
of the world or just literally gives up on the term sense itself. Her
way of making the human mind think took me away. One favorite line
that she pointed out was " Things are good because God loves them or
is is it because god loves them, they are good" It plays tricks on the
mind and just confuses me even more. That is what critical thinkings
main goal is, right? to confuse the mind and actually think about what
actually can be true and not false. And she finishes off with science
is one of the most wonderful things in this world that humans created
and just by saying that, how does she think that we are progressing
morality? Science will go up and down, but i think that for all the
down falls it will gain much more success and respect in future.
Now the next speaker i liked a lot as well because the examples he
gave as a little kid took me back when i was one, and i had similar
thoughts to those of his. I use to think that religion was just be one
with God and get closer to him, be good and follow his rules for a
perfect life and a righteous passage way into heaven. Now all that is
behind me and religion stands somewhere totally different in my life.
Religion is about therapy and politics because all is does it make
someone think they are feeling better because they are doing what they
think is right, have faith or compassion with God. I also agree with
him 100 percent on how myths are confused with how things are and
moral ideas. Too many stories are passed down generation to generation
and of course just because of that you cant expect everything to be
true since things are added and extracted from every story out there.
And ill end with the saying that Weinberg stated before, in which was
kept in Beth's mind: "we need to wake up from the long nightmare of
religious belief" It explains itself.
WEEk 7: Nietzsche The article The Good and the evil by Nietzsche gives an overall
impression at first sight. Obviously he is upset at the fact that
philosophers mess with others mind into believing their findings about
the mystery that this universe holds. I like it how in kind of a way
he insults philosophers by calling them cobweb-spinners of the mind.
To think about it, that definition really fits in because all they do
is make us human more confused than what we already are. Do we really
need to know the truth? I mean, we all are going to die and living and
struggling to find the truth might just keep us from enjoying our
"short" lives, in my opinion. Nietzsche's judgment toward specific
fields were at some point, unnecessary because there was just so much
experience that we do not have there. I mean back in Nietzche's time,
things were different and he would have a different point of view from
things that go on now a days than back then. I ask myself, could he of
been mad while working on this piece of literature of did he really
feel like jotting all of this down and bringing it out to the public.
For him thinking that christianity is just a foolish way for some to
comfort failure,as a matter of fact that is a great line because if
you really understand if you put the pieces together. Religion and
Christianity comfort a human being even though we know that there is
no evidence that it exists but in our mind and soul, it makes us feel
emotionally better and ready to take on whatever if we progress with
it. What i found interesting as well is the way he spoke about women
down sizing ourselves. Pretty much stating that women are
re progressing and not progressing for the better of the future. I
think that he could be saying this because he obviously thinks that
women should be up there with men , or am i wrong? Or does he mean it
in a way that we should not progress ourselves and always stay where
men put us, in our place?
WEEK 8: Beyond Belief 10
Richard being the first speaker opens up the talk about medicine and
religion being meshed together and if it would be a good idea for
physicians caring about your religious tactics. I agree with Richard
in saying that i do not think medicine and religion go together or
help each other physically but i do say that religious activities
might have an effect or some sort in making the person feel better
about their future with the outcomes of whatever medicinal practices
they are taking. As he says bringing religion into science is not a
good thing and i totally agree with him 100 percent. Religion might be
good for the health "emotionally" but i do not think that a doctor,
physician or whatever have a real place to be telling their patient
what to or not to practice. The second speaker i enjoyed as well but
did not catch his name. I liked how he was talking about how our mind
is just so use to taking actions in believing that a women should do
the cooking and all just because we notice it in other cultures and
other generations. The untestable proposition is then used here in
which i never knew about. Believing natural selection is the only way
that life goes on can be just one possibility but to know that there
are other thoughts out there, just makes it harder for those trying to
prove and truthfully base it all upon one point. We just not knowing
what the full fundamental of the process of the brain and why we think
they way we do is all a mystery that makes us want more than what we
can have at the moment. I wonder if we will ever get to that point, to
the point where we know why the brain works like it works and what
makes it work like that. Was it all planned before it got installed
into our bodies or did it just grow from within us with different
particles of our body? This session was interesting and i really
enjoyed listening to Neil Tyson once again.
WEEK 8: DNA and the Brain
Watson has so much history under his belt. It is quite interesting to
hear someone else's path to startling discovery as of this one with
the three dimensional structure of the Helix. For Crick and Watson to
come up with a dimensional structure this complicated and to complete
it within a time frame 0f 18 months is pretty marvelous. I like the
advice he was giving from which i knew he caught from his experiences.
Always make your enemies your friends because you will like to know
what they are thinking as they would like to know your ideas too. I
think Watson for his age, looks like a healthy and obvious, funny man.
I enjoyed when he talked about how in this century the new thing that
is trying to be converted into one is psychology and biology when last
century it was chemistry and biology. I agree with him because now a
days we want to know more about us and how we work and manage
ourselves. How he says being too intellectual can be the cause of
producing offspring with autism or mating with another mate whose
intellectual mind is advance, can that really happen? I do notice that
many famous people whose knowledge and discoveries brought them
recognition did have some children with autism. Watson says that
possibly 5 years from now, that everyone can get their DNA studied and
know our sequence. Will that benefit the future in any kind of way? i
have no clue but it might be able to tell us to mate or not to mate
with a specific person since we most of us want everything perfect
these days. Other than that, i still think knowing too much might
affect us in a way that i cant describe. Is it not better not knowing
it all?
WEEK 8: Philosophy in 5 min]
The videos are extremely informative even when they are less than 5
minutes. That is incredible. My favorite one would have to be Truth
Lies. Why? The truth is that truth lies. No matter what we want to
believe, we always tend to believe what sounds like nonsense which is
what most of us do. We cant handle the truth like it said. We just
cant and that is why our human mind feels better believing things that
we know, are impossible or unrealistic. One quote that i really
enjoyed from one the videos, "Everything has been figured out, except
how to live"- Jean Paul Sartre. Have we figured out how to live or why
we live? do you think we will ever find out? We will? I have no clue
and that is why i leave to my wonderful philosophers to answer these
questions so we will get a better understanding why. I think that is
quite funny how most of us cant think like they can. Well actually, we
can if we want to but we refuse ourselves to do so. I think ever
individual can do whatever they want if they put the right time and
dedication to it. Another thing that blows my mind is fundamentalism
really a disease? or do others that do not believe in thinking in that
kind of way say that? Can believing in a religion and a God be really
a mental problem? Why does brainwash work among us and why dont we
realize it as a problem? that is my question amongst the field of
religion and science.
WEEK 8: Intelligent Design This reading was interesting because first of all, i like it how in
every aspect of thinking critically in the philosophical field, God is
always a question? will the debate ever end if he is involved or not?
I still wonder years from now, when i am not even alive, what will the
world come to? Will religion still be as strong as it is today or will
there be more controversy over it? So many questions, so much that i
can learn but if i don't try to find the answer then i suppose i will
never know. I think it is interesting how Demski says that evolution
has no goal and that history of life is not trying to get anywhere.
That brings up another set of questions. Then why all this? Why are we
here? What is the purpose of the world, for us to live and then die? A
cycle that is going to be never ending? WOW, it just blows my mind
that I myself never can come up with these sayings or questions and
for others to do so, is magnificent. It makes the human mind think and
hurt at the same time. I do not think it is a bad idea for ID to be
added into schooling teachings in the science field. I agree that
everything will fall in its place and make sense for those that will
not except the fact that there is no God, but will the theory of
evolution be completely abolished and forgotten about and God and his
"followers" win the war?
WEEK 8: F.A.Q.s about Evolution
Professor Dawkins i think has stable feedback to be giving back, but
does it all make sense to all others as it makes sense to him? I guess
if he explains it a basic way in which we can keep track of, we might
get the hang of what goes on in his mind. But as Dawkins replies to an
answer about religion and God, yes he says that there is no evidence
of a n existing God for which he does believe in one, that does not
mean we can not appreciate this universe for what a beautiful place it
is. I agree with him, just because some believe there is no God that
does not mean we have to despise of everything around us. Some kind of
development of science created in what we live in today. We have to
support science some how because there is evidence of that. But one
question i ask myself, i know there is no physical evidence of God but
what if there was one and all this was a test. I mean. what if
he/she/they have us all on a test seeing who will believe in their
presence without evidence of them existing? I mean that is one
question that i always wanted to know but i do know that it is quite
impossible. i wonder how Dawkins would answer to a question like that,
would he just ignore it and say no evidence supporting anything
religious is available or actually take time to think about it. It is
just weird to me that there are scientists that do believe in a super
power out there but do they do it to feel better emotionally and
spiritually or do they do it because they truly believe there is
something out there greater than the human being?
WEEK 5/6: Thakar Singh
What kind of person no matter how much power people think he might
has, thinks its a good idea to blind fold children until the age of 5?
wow, and to know that people actual follow this maniac and his
beliefs. Brainwashing can have a major impact on a human being for the
best or worst. I just dont even know how he even got the nerve to come
into the US and actually try to spread his cult around town at
colleges and seminars. For people to attend that is fine i guess to
find out what crazy mess he is talking about, but to actually join
part of it and believe he is God and that they would even die for him,
that is insane. When that follower was speaking and saying that dying
for Thakar might be easier than living for him, i was in shock. How
can a human being have so much impact on another to make their whole
view about life change? Yes i do think that meditating is healthy for
the mind and soul but abusing others especially children in order to
release negative force, is wrong. Thakar Singh looks like an innocent
person, but i mean who doesnt? I just dont get it how people can think
of someone being a God just by following them, but then again i am in
their place and i am being brain washed. That is what all of this is,
brainwashing people to following this "cult" and closing them in from
the rest of th world. Maybe that is where Thakar gets his excitement
from, knowing that he has control over so many people and that they
would literally do anything for him, blind fold their children until
the age of 5 and even die for him.
WEEK 7: Philosophy in 5 min
WOW. these videos looking all corny with the animation and such,
were really informative. My favorite one was the one about crop
circles. Professor Lane would just not let the other speaker talk. The
points that he was bringing up were good though. If i could draw it
with a simple pencil, then why wouldn't i be able to do the images in
a crop field? He just kept picking at him until it made the other
speaker give up at one little point. But other than that, these videos
were very enjoyable. I am still in shock in hearing about the
experience of Faqir Chand. To have a enlightment moment like the one
he described is unbelievable and to know that he appeared to others as
a mentor, is quite remarkable. I like it how he ends the video saying
that he simply does not know the truth which in fact i agree with,
because even those that say they have powers of such and stuff like
that, really dont know the truth because really, nobody has discovered
the great mystery.
Thinking about these videos is simple, but actually coming to context
with them and actually thinking critically with them is more of a job.
We know how everything works but how does it get to work like that?
Like electrons and neutrons, how do they get their charge? Science is
so difficult to understand but with the right tools, we can find out
truths and surprise ourselves in which i think we already have with so
many discoveries.
WEEK 7: John Polkinghorne
John Polkinghorne seemed like a person that is so simple and does not
hate on others that do not believe in what he believes is. I think it
is quite interesting how one physiscits can work with science and
religion and mix in both beliefs and go on with life like if nothing
is wrong with that. Well, i am not saying there is something wrong
with that but to know that there is a possiblility that religion and
science does go together and one without the other, is nothing just
makes the whole scenario more confusing to me. I really enjoyed
Polkinghorne's beliefs such as he does believe there is a divine mind
that is not produced within the universe, but out of it. Also as he
says that universe has a divine purpose, just makes me think then why
dont all people think like this? i do agree with him when he says that
the world is much weirder than we imagine it because just there is no
possible way to find out all the facts that are real and what really
is true. I also enjoyed him talking about how he pictures a personal
God within him even though he does not match the God we think of. It
is difficult to picture a God because he is such a big mystery as he
says, makes me think that it is true. He is a big mystery, we actually
do not know much about him.
WEEK 5/6: My opinion on eckists.
My opinion on the Eckists, well i just think that they are doing what
they truly believe in. I just ask myself one question, if they say the
human soul can leave the body and reincarnate somewhere else, i mean
how do they know that? is there evidence that this happens or has
there been people that come up and say that they were reincarnated? I
just don't get it how this comes up and then spreads around to where
so many people believe it and actually believe it is true. I looked up
on their website and to see it , it seems to me bogus but what they
say actually makes me feel good. Like what they say about God is Love
and we are the ones that build our destiny and our decisions are the
ones that shape our future. I mean, that does sound right but how do
they know all of this is true? I am guessing that is why Professor
Lane tried to dig dirt out of these people but if it bothers so many
others then why not start a organization like it but without all the
nonsense. This world is bound to have different teaching and beliefs
but why do so many have to fight against them and try to prove them
wrong? if it were to come down to breaking into houses and threatening
with letters, i would leave it alone but if someone really has the
passion to prove someone wrong, then go ahead. nothing wrong with that
but that is a lot of courage to confront such members of life that
believe they are amongst the strongest and most mind powerful.
WEEK 5/6: SAi Baba part 2
Sai Baba may seem like an ordinary man but to those that follow him
know that he is real when he says that there is no need to abandon
their own religion to listen to him. What Sai Baba says he is here to
do is to only restore a persons faith and teach them important facts
about life and improving their situations. i wonder to myself, how
does a child grow up thinking these things and grow up to be a person
with many followers as in Sai Baba? I mean what does it take for a
person to know that they were sent here for a special reason, to give
teachings about life and help others find a right path. i think there
is nothing wrong with that as long as you do it credibly without
joking but after i have seen these videos of him pulling tricks on the
audience, it makes me feel like these kind of human beings like taking
advantage of others. of their beliefs, their souls and pretty much
their religious standing. I know that Sai Baba says that he is not
here to make you have different views about your specific religion but
to help you view the whole world in different aspects. i know he has
some rules or tactics in order to succeed living in the world happily,
but how can you trust someone that plays joke on his people as seen in
the video? where are they trying to get? what are they trying to prove
or show? its so confusing but at the same time, it feels good to get
under and dig out the dirt.
WEEK 5/6: Sai Baba It is ashame that want you want to believe sometimes so much, it ain't
nothing but a joke. I think that his followers believe that he is one
of the most sacred human beings alive but it must be disappointing to
know that he is just playing tricks on them and messing up with their
beliefs and such. But i would question myself as a follower like how
can he produce some piece of jewelry out of no where and suddenly have
it appear. These people in this video look like they praise him to an
immense and of course, who wouldn't want to believe that in front of
them stands somebody so magnificent with these kind of gifts? We the
people like or want to think that not everybody is the same. We are
pleasant thinking that some out there have special gifts that were
given to them by God and for that, we always look up to someone else
instead to ourselves for sanity. Sai Baba may be lying to himself but
he likes the attention and likes that people actually believe him. I
wonder if he has ever told himself that he knows he is being a fool in
front of so many people.
WEEK 5/6: Eckankar
I ask myself why do people need to use threatening techniques to show
a message of "dont mess with me." I mean by reading this article Dodie
Bellamy put a lot of time writing about Lane, John-Roger and the
mystery behind Eckankar. At first i did not think it was a big deal
that Eckankar was a religion that accepted people of any kind into
their group to follow God but then when Dollie started to scratch at
Lane for the dirt, it made more sense as it were more of a scam and
fraud then actual spiritual help. It just sucks for someone trying to
falsification a person even more such like Lane was trying to put down
Hinkins, be threatened and even have his property be broken into. What
kind of adult maturity is that? I feel like i was reading about a
Eckankar leader who was about 10 or so. For someone to do that and
then threaten others to not publish this story, has to be because he
is hiding something and does want others to find out what it is. I do
agree with Lane though when he tries to go behind their plagiarizing
of other writings. I dont think thats fair for them to do that and go
on about it as if it were their original work, but for them to say
that it does not matter if it was or not, the only thing that matters
is that it has nothing to do with your spiritual experiences. This
article was awesome because to me it was more like a short story and i
actually pictured every moment of it. To know that originality matters
so much in Philosophy and that if someone tries to mess with it or
make you seem like a fraud, your life as well as your families could
be in danger. Its a dirty game out there is what it seems to me.
WEEK 5/6: An intro to critical thinking
The fact that someone can actually think about these things and jot
them on paper and expose them to members of society such as students,
i think is incredible. I mean Critical thinking is word that is hard
to define for those who do not know what to think critically means. I
guess it was interesting to find out that in order to succeed thinking
critically, you must have a teacher that knows the curriculum well and
knows how to think critically. I agree with Clement and Lochhead as
they say that we should teach students how to think but instead we are
teaching them what to think. Exactly, i think this society is trained
to train other people to think like them and to do exactly as others.
For some reason, i kind of think that the whole system is placed to
make everybody else workers instead of successors and owners. But in
order to gain excellence in thinking critically, first off as the
reading says we must get a hold of a good teacher who knows how to
teach it and out ourselves through more thinking homework assignments
instead of just doing them. Make our minds develop and try harder. I
liked this article because it kind of gave me hints on what to do next
on my assignments so i can try a little harder.
WEEK 5/6: Edgar cayce and the Skeptic
This article was describing the tactics of a specific person named
Edgar Cayce who says that he has miraculous powers to be able to read
the future and such. I like the idea that Occam's Razor is defined a
little bit more because before i just knew it as a website as in which
the one we use for this class. Occam's razor does make sense as
Professor Lane describes it, it only shaves the extraordinary claims
but does not work all the time. It kind of mind boggles me that
sometimes we don't believe something because it may seem out of this
world to believe it, but we cant kill it to the floor because we have
no evidence to fight it back and say it can never, ever be true. I
agree that in order to understand somebody else's thoughts or a
specific message or understanding that someone is trying to give to
you, you must first of all understand every specific fragment in the
sentence and understand it from beginning to end. I also found
interesting that if Cayce were to be proven such a false reader, most
people already believing n him would not fall back and turn against
him. They would remain on his side due to their spiritual ride they
have taken with him the whole entire time prior to his falsification.
WEEK 5/6: Expert Lecture
The film with Mark Juergensmeyer was interesting because it was nice
listening to somebody talking about events that most of us lived
through this past years. I thought it was interesting how he mentioned
that religion is being politicized and that politics is being
religionized. Its true, that is what we are seeing. If God wants
peace, then why does there have to be a war of faith. A war not
including monetary or political reasons, but of faith. Why do people
want other people to die. I thought it was mind boggling how mark was
interviewing the active terrorist behind the act of bombing the world
trader center in 1993, and the gentlemen said that only 200,000
thousand people would die if that would of happened. As if 200
thousand was a small number. I wonder if these people really want to
do this to others. Acts of terrorist, i still dont get the meaning
behind it. Revolutionists as Mark was talking about, were there not
because they wanted to do and hold guns. these young men which he said
could of been 19 years old, were there because their faith was on the
line. their pride.. or the islamic meaning of it, their honor and
individualism was on the line and they needed to defend themselves and
fight against the war of God.
9. Certain religious zealots are prone to use terrorism according to Juergensmsyer because the act of war is mainly over religion. Some are forced to use acts of terrorism because that is the only way the point will get across to the enemies, they are scared of losing what they have because it seems like the US wants to take away their sacred religion. They use violence because they are not educated as well and do not know how to settle situations in peace there fore leading to using what they know best, fight. Young people do not need some sort of education to fight, they can easily just grab a rifle and be set for a war. A war to fight over their pride for religion. Juergensmyer believes that we should asset in a religion. To try to reorganize in public life a sense of public community, the morality and social meanings of what we use to base upon. We should build trust in public life and forget about fighting over economic values of the rewards of moderate to mitigate such attacks, as he states in his discussion.
10. There is no sufficient evidence supporting Edgar Cayce's physic abilities but there are testimonies that he makes people feel at ease with themselves and it actually helps them in a kind of way. Whether or not people like it, he has become a religious figure to many which make them look at him as if he were someone so sacred that they can trust him with so much of themselves. He is just considered a "prophet" figure that even though his physic abilities might be wrong sometimes, he can change the course of people's lives with his prophecies. As the reading states that his readings will survive in 21st century not as illustrations of physic ability misreadings, but rather as psychological and spiritual documents that people look in to for another form of thinking freely.
11. My professor is so critical of cults because i just think he hates liars and people that lie. Cults to me, are just groups that brain wash their members to believe in whatever they want to believe, which is based on a false assumption that there is a God out there that will send us to glory if we do all the good deeds he sent us here to try to accomplish. Cults can be fraudulent against their members and steal their money, making them think they are contributing to the good. I also think he is so critical against them because cults are just foolish. Who are these people to come into someones life and suddenly say that they are God or say that if you follow them, you will live in peace and live happily ever happy. I think it is foolish how some members even say that they will live and die for the cult leader. What kind of idea is that? And also, i would have to say he shows hate towards them because him in trying to reveal that they are full of crap, they come and threaten him and even break into his house! I personally would feel like revenge should take place if that would ever happen to me. But good job in trying to reveal that they are frauds and not good for nothing, just for messing up with people's lives.
12. Sai Baba's films reveal that clearly he is a fraud as well and play with peoples emotions. To have people thinking that he has paranormal powers to suddenly pull out a necklace out of his hand, is completely deceiving. He is nothing. He is fake and all people should know that, no human being can produce a type of jewelry or ash out of their hand and be normal. Its impossible.That shows how much his followers did not get a good education or have much knowledge of what humans can or cannot do. It makes me mad on how a person can do this and not be ashamed. To see those poor followers in the video and to see that they are truly believable in his words and actions, is just simply pathetic.
13. Thakar Singh belives in blindfolding children because he thinks that they should connect with their inner selves and not see the bad that revolves around them. They will meditate and build a better relationship with their god. Become one with them is his goal for all children. Some religious followers lack critical thinking skills because they are simply not educated much. They hear something and if it makes them feel good, they will follow it and be exposed to being brain washed without themselves knowing it. That is the whole technique behind it. For these crazy people to follow him and believe it is healthy to blind fold their own children till the age of 5, is just insane. That shows their crazy or have become crazy because i am sure they did not think like this before they decided to follow the preachings of Thakar Singh.
14. John Polkinghorne believes in both religion and science because he believes that without religion, there is no science and that without science, there is no religion. He believes that there has to be a divine mind that is produced out of the universe because all this couldn't just be created by science itself. To believe in religion and science just makes someone so much healthier and happier with themselves as he explains. It gives him some feeling of hope and goodness within himself and does not blame others of believing in it to. It is just a satisfactory feeling you get when you believe in something you don't know or have evidence of. Like he says, its nice to have the universe be a mystery because it keeps us wanting to know more but we can know so much because the human being can only do so much physically in knowing how it all works. I also think he believes in religion strongly because he did grow up in a family with a strong religious background and it influenced him to where he can mesh in both science and religion and make sense out of it, to which others is very difficult to do.
15. Nietzsche critiques religion by talking about how Christianity is one religion that he absolutely despises because they think that they are the "original" and truthful one that only matters. With his harsh writings, he basically states that all religions are out there wasting their time because God is dead. There is no God, if there is no God then why a religion? One line that i find interesting in the truth lies : " God is disproved but not the devil? Is it not that if all God based religions are false, then why would there be a devil? it does not make sense. the way Neitzsche writes with his style of writing was kind of difficult for me to understand. All i got was the base, he hates religions and those that believe in God.
16. James Watson believes that genetics hold the secret for understanding human behavior because it then reads the human 100 percent and see how we can work with genetics defects such as autism. We will be able to prevent it if we look into it further. It will tell us who we are and what we are made of. Genetics hold the answer as well because it explains our past, our present and our future. Our genes are passes on to us by our parents, and those of their's are passed on by their parents and so forth and so forth. Genetics will help us get a better understanding of future sicknesses or diseases that can be caused by family genes as well. Some people resist believing that we are just bundles of DNA because they think we are something else, as in spiritual or powerful. They think that we are not just material things that walk around and think, they see us as a invention of a divine God that put us here for a reason. If we are just bundles of DNA then we are just creatures with mystery behind us because our system is so complicated but at the same time, everything falls into place and makes sense.
17. Intelligent design is regarded to as "junk" science by most evolutionary biologists because it involves some kind of God that created all this perfect mess. It believes that some marvelous super power with such great brains, created an intelligent design of our body and our animals and universe. It just couldn't be created by science and nature. Someone or something was behind it is what it believes. Most evolutionary biologists reject this theory because most of them are strongly against any source of super power that is made out of this universe, to create such a thing as if our complicated brains and bodies. Parents support intelligent design to be taught in schools because it "explains the origin of life" to their convenience, with a somewhat thing not called God literally, but a something that created and perfected all of this in universe.
18. The underlying theme behind the movie the Zahir is that something so small and meaningless, can become the obsession without the person forcing it upon themselves. I can relate this to religion in a way that everyone gets lured into it even from afar and suddenly forgets about reality and what really makes sense, all that makes sense to them is that religion or as in this story, the coin is all that matters. In Borges dreams and even when awake, all he thinks about is the coin. From not even knowing he was going to receive it by getting back change, to all of sudden become his number one nightmare or source of insomnia. Over a coin that substitutes itself for something powerful and mind taking in that persons brain. I guess then it can be similar to a religion, takes over the mind, body and soul to an extent where the only thing that matters, is not reality but that one certain religion because that one thing is going to take over and control your life and well being.
19. Little things that jiggle reveal the universe around us by explaining what keeps it moving and going round and round. When these little jiggling things team up and become an wholesome one, it can make quite a impact on the universe but in a good or bad way. Such as bombs, they are made up of many components of the periodic table and meshed together, can create a massive explosive in which this country and others used for battle. Gravity is made of a n equal part of neutrons and electrons which hold this earth in its stable place. Without these little electrons and atoms, we or nothing would be able to have a standing ground on earth. All would fall into the sky because we would have no matter pressing down on us to keep us on ground. The universe is full of a thing called science and many cant believe that science was the only thing that created this universe. Science is vision multiplied and gravity is geometry realized as stated in the short clip.
20. Fundamentalism is a mental disease according to the movie because it is a belief in something that has no past exisitence in this earth. I mean there is no evidence showing that it happened in the past and still people believe so much that they base their whole life around religion and that belief of a God. Believing in a false set of books such as the bible, the Koran, the Mormon book and etc. gives others to think that do not hold that belief that it is just madness on how people can follow a book of false stories and actually live on by them. Also because these believers want to shoot Intelligent Design back into science because it is impossible to them that a God could of not created all of this around us. As its said in the clip, "Creationism is taught by those cannot think", which i thought was quite mean and funny at the same time. Cant these people see that all of this here is nature and sciences work. Like stated again, " Nature is red in tooth and claws" and one of my favorite lines, " God does not have to explain anything, because he has been exempted from the equation". That makes a whole lot more sense. Religion =Mental disease.
21. 8 common fallacies
- Two wrongs make a right: I found out that the clerk gave me 5 dollars more in change. But i don't decide to return it because if i would of given them 5 dollars extra in paying, they wouldn't return it to me.
- appeal to belief: God must exist then. I just saw a poll that 85% of Americans believe in God.
- appeal to emotion: If you take this potion, it will make you beautiful and every girl will then envy you. As well as all the guys will start noticing you and only you. You will feel great.
- Red herring: God cant be bad, he is God.
- Ad hominem: I say that all people who believe in being a member of any false religion should be crucified," aren't you a catholic?"
- Faulty appeal: My priest told me the best way to release my sins is to donate money to the church.
- hasty generalization: all priests are child molesters.
- appeal to fear: " brothers and sisters, if you do not follow what the Lord has written in his hold book, you will surely rot in hell".
23.In the entire series of Beyond Belief, there was much heated discussion of religion and its place in this world. Why is there religion? Why do people believe in a God? And ect. What most of this philosophers and critical thinkers state is that how can so many people believe in a thing that has no physical evidence of a such being of a God. I thought it was quite interesting to hear so many different point of views of very well known people such as Dawkins, Neil Tyson, Sam Harris and Lawrence Craft. As I started to watch the first sessions, I thought to myself that this is just a conference series on how all these philosophers and scientists are against religion and all they are trying to do is make others believe that there is no physical evidence for a God. Was I wrong! As Sam Harris talks, have we really lost our connection with the world and with all others? Even if some of us do believe in religion, why all of sudden we are called people with a mental disease and such? Like the short clip in session 9, I know Dawkins to go ahead and enter that “holy” church of so many people and then try to prove what they are doing which is preaching the world of the Lord, is wrong and pretty much that they are wasting their time. I thought it was kind of wrong on his part to go in there and speak to the pastor and tell him that he has no evidence to be preaching those kind of “myths”. If I were the pastor I would of gotten offended and actually thrown him off my land that is if I was the pastor and I showed much love and faith towards God. I would not except someone coming to me and telling me that I was false and even if I did not have evidence of God , it was wrong of me to teach others of what is not really real. That was one quite interesting session. One of my favorite speakers that I really enjoyed listening to was Richard Slau? Don’t really know how to spell his last name but anyways I enjoyed his speaking session because he was not talking bad about religion and of those who believe it, he just thinks that its not a good idea for physicians to be engaging in religious actions with a patient for example, praying with them right before surgery. To my opinion why do people only seem to pray when they are in danger and afraid? Do they not love their beloved God so much that they must seek comfort in him through out the whole day and pray to him even when they are not in danger? Like he said religion and medicine do not go together. I also liked the way he talked about the human brain being such a great mystery and we are just not capable of understanding it to its fullest at this time. The brain knows how to read things such as interpret illusions that we might think we see but in reality, it is the brain doing the interpretation. Is some fact, religion is good for you health if you actually believe that is makes you feel better. So people that do it, well props to them in making themselves feel a tiny bit better even though there is no real proof that religion is makes you healthier physically. I also enjoyed listening to Richard Dawkins. One of my favorite lines of his was when he was talking about exposing his daughter that there is no Santa Claus. He said he did not tell her that there is no such thing as him but rather invited her to think if she really thought there was a man that lived in the north pole and gave out Christmas presents to all the little boys and girls. I thought that was very smart to him. In my case, I never believed in Santa Claus and I would think if I would believe in one and then to find out that he is just an imaginary person, that would he horrifying. I also liked the way he brought Natural evolution theory and Darwin up in his conversations. The speakers that I found the least interesting were Beth Loftus and Susan Heiman. These two women were overall great speakers at presenting their material, but all it seemed like they did was share their experiences and expect others to follow their lead and beliefs just because on what they had experienced. The way Susan was bringing up the stories from the bible and was literally talking in forms in which I got lost sometimes. Her language was way too complicated. Beth on the other hand, started off on how she lost her parents and that made her change her perspective on a God. I like her definition on religion though : it plants false belief and false memories in the peoples mind. That is exactly what religion is after. Like she quoted after Weinberg ,“We need to wake up from the long nightmare of religious belief. But overall I enjoyed the Beyond Belief sessions very much.
24. The most favorite thing that i learned this semester was the fact that i can stand for what i believe in even though it does not involve God. At first, i was like come one all this has to be crap. there is a God even though there is no evidence but in my case, i stopped producing faith when my father died but in back of my head i always had God in mind. To hear and read all this evidence to prove that he is not real and to actually see how others take advantage of using the term God and religion just to be "powerful" and be a leader, its disgusting. For people to be members of cults and even get the nerve to blind fold children until the age of 5 is sickening. If " God" wants to show his love and wants us to love one another, then why all this hate and crime? Why death and suffering? Why violence against religions just because one believes one thing and the other another thing? to me it all makes sense now that i have taken this class. I don't have to be a member of any "cult" in which i define religion now, to be apart of this world. I don't think that i have to follow a set of rules that probably the human made up in the bible and base my whole life around them. That is not freedom. Freedom i believe now, is living life without nothing holding me back and not caring of what other people think God might think. It just opened up my eyes to see reality and appreciate science just a little bit more.
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