Just Listened to Every Episode

Quath · 18th January 2008, 02:38 PM

This is a very good podcast. I started out downloading a few neat sounding titles. However, after I listened to them, I started to download more. Finally, I downloaded all of them and listened to them.

Overall, I mostly find myself in agreement with everything Brian is saying. However, he has done a pretty good job of additional research in each of these areas. They are very interesting and really reveal how common pseudo-science really is.

I only had two comments overall on the episodes. The first is on Blood for Oil. I agree with Brian that oil was probably not the reason we went to Iraq. However, I don't think you can easily rule it out either. Oil is a global commodity. So if "terrorist" countries stopped selling oil, their customers would buy from our oil sources. This would drive up our costs.

The other was on the episode on whick kills more people: religion or atheism? I do agree with Biran's final conclusion in that people can justify killing by religion or some other reason. So pointing fingers doesn't really get us anywhere. But I think there is a point to be made that religion offers a very easy excuse. I think it is the easiest excuse. If that option was not there, people would still find ways to kill and feel just about it, but I think it would be a lot tougher.

One example I recall is when the Spanish were exploring Central Mexico. They had a priest with them that would say that God wanted them to enslave the American Indians and take their gold. Without religion, they would have had to go through the trouble of setting up treaties and then finding fault with the American Indians before they could steal and plunder. If they did it without religion or politics, they would be a pirate and know it. I think people want to feel good and just with their actions. Religion is an easy wayy to do it. Politics or other mechanisms are slower and maybe offer other possibilities. For example, in the story I read, the Spanish launched a surprise attack against superior numbers. It would have been harder to carry that off if they had to go through political measures.

Overall, good job. I can wait to hear more.

shadron · 18th January 2008, 02:56 PM

Ummmm, perhaps you could let the rest of us in on it too?

fishbait · 18th January 2008, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Quath

Overall, good job. I can wait to hear more.

Me, too.

Quath · 18th January 2008, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by shadron

Ummmm, perhaps you could let the rest of us in on it too?

I am not quote sure what you are referring to.

briandunning · 22nd January 2008, 07:09 AM

Thanks for your support! :-)

Bob Klase · 22nd January 2008, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by Quath

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadron View Post
Ummmm, perhaps you could let the rest of us in on it too?

I am not quote sure what you are referring to.

I don't think he's referring to a quote. It's more a question of :

Quote:

This is a very good podcast.

When you say "This", exactly what "This" are you referring to? Perhaps you could give us a hint of what you downloading. Maybe even a link where others could find whatever it is that you downloaded. (briandunning has a link to his(?) podcast(s) in his signature- perhaps that's it?)

briandunning · 22nd January 2008, 08:06 AM

Sorry all, didn't mean to be secretive. Note what forum you're posting in. This is the forum for the Skeptoid podcast, skeptoid.com. :-)

Quath · 22nd January 2008, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Bob Klase

When you say "This", exactly what "This" are you referring to? Perhaps you could give us a hint of what you downloading. Maybe even a link where others could find whatever it is that you downloaded. (briandunning has a link to his(?) podcast(s) in his signature- perhaps that's it?)

Ahhh. I see.

I was meaning the whole series of Skeptoid.

Bob Klase · 22nd January 2008, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by briandunning

Sorry all, didn't mean to be secretive. Note what forum you're posting in. This is the forum for the Skeptoid podcast, skeptoid.com. :-)

I think many (at least some) people are like me and click on threads after searching for New Posts rather than looking in each forum. So even though it shows Skeptical Podcasts as the forum it wasn't immediately clear that Skeptoid (or skeptoid.com) was the name.

18th January 2008, 02:38 PM	#1
Quath New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 15	Just Listened to Every Episode This is a very good podcast. I started out downloading a few neat sounding titles. However, after I listened to them, I started to download more. Finally, I downloaded all of them and listened to them. Overall, I mostly find myself in agreement with everything Brian is saying. However, he has done a pretty good job of additional research in each of these areas. They are very interesting and really reveal how common pseudo-science really is. I only had two comments overall on the episodes. The first is on Blood for Oil. I agree with Brian that oil was probably not the reason we went to Iraq. However, I don't think you can easily rule it out either. Oil is a global commodity. So if "terrorist" countries stopped selling oil, their customers would buy from our oil sources. This would drive up our costs. The other was on the episode on whick kills more people: religion or atheism? I do agree with Biran's final conclusion in that people can justify killing by religion or some other reason. So pointing fingers doesn't really get us anywhere. But I think there is a point to be made that religion offers a very easy excuse. I think it is the easiest excuse. If that option was not there, people would still find ways to kill and feel just about it, but I think it would be a lot tougher. One example I recall is when the Spanish were exploring Central Mexico. They had a priest with them that would say that God wanted them to enslave the American Indians and take their gold. Without religion, they would have had to go through the trouble of setting up treaties and then finding fault with the American Indians before they could steal and plunder. If they did it without religion or politics, they would be a pirate and know it. I think people want to feel good and just with their actions. Religion is an easy wayy to do it. Politics or other mechanisms are slower and maybe offer other possibilities. For example, in the story I read, the Spanish launched a surprise attack against superior numbers. It would have been harder to carry that off if they had to go through political measures. Overall, good job. I can wait to hear more.
Quath New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 15

18th January 2008, 03:02 PM	#3
fishbait Raggin' the Blues Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New York Posts: 1,013	Originally Posted by Quath Overall, good job. I can wait to hear more. Me, too.
	__________________ "I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" ************. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are." --Bill Hicks

18th January 2008, 06:40 PM	#4
Quath New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 15	Originally Posted by shadron Ummmm, perhaps you could let the rest of us in on it too? I am not quote sure what you are referring to.
Quath New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 15

22nd January 2008, 07:09 AM	#5
briandunning Thinker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 182	Thanks for your support! :-)
	__________________ Skeptoid Podcast - Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena

22nd January 2008, 08:06 AM	#7
briandunning Thinker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 182	Sorry all, didn't mean to be secretive. Note what forum you're posting in. This is the forum for the Skeptoid podcast, skeptoid.com. :-)
	__________________ Skeptoid Podcast - Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena

18th January 2008, 02:56 PM	#2
shadron Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 5,719	Ummmm, perhaps you could let the rest of us in on it too?

22nd January 2008, 08:05 AM	#6
Bob Klase Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 2,833	Originally Posted by Quath Quote: Originally Posted by shadron View Post Ummmm, perhaps you could let the rest of us in on it too? I am not quote sure what you are referring to. I don't think he's referring to a quote. It's more a question of : Quote: This is a very good podcast. When you say "This", exactly what "This" are you referring to? Perhaps you could give us a hint of what you downloading. Maybe even a link where others could find whatever it is that you downloaded. (briandunning has a link to his(?) podcast(s) in his signature- perhaps that's it?)

22nd January 2008, 09:02 AM	#8
Quath New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 15	Originally Posted by Bob Klase When you say "This", exactly what "This" are you referring to? Perhaps you could give us a hint of what you downloading. Maybe even a link where others could find whatever it is that you downloaded. (briandunning has a link to his(?) podcast(s) in his signature- perhaps that's it?) Ahhh. I see. I was meaning the whole series of Skeptoid.
Quath New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 15

22nd January 2008, 06:57 PM	#9
Bob Klase Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 2,833	Originally Posted by briandunning Sorry all, didn't mean to be secretive. Note what forum you're posting in. This is the forum for the Skeptoid podcast, skeptoid.com. :-) I think many (at least some) people are like me and click on threads after searching for New Posts rather than looking in each forum. So even though it shows Skeptical Podcasts as the forum it wasn't immediately clear that Skeptoid (or skeptoid.com) was the name.