Richard Dawkins interviewed by Hugh Hewitt...

headscratcher4 · 22nd October 2009, 12:46 PM

http://www.hughhewitt.com/transcript...0-d4685976f8e0

Interesting.

Kuko 4000 · 22nd October 2009, 03:15 PM

Where the hell can I find the audio of this?

Dr. Trintignant · 22nd October 2009, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by headscratcher4

http://www.hughhewitt.com/transcript...0-d4685976f8e0

Interesting.

I'm disappointed in Dawkins! In that last part, Hugh is basically making the claim that God made the world look like it evolved to allow for the possibility of faith.

Dawkins should have pulled out the trump card; a quote from his good, late friend Douglas Adams:

Originally Posted by Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Now it is such a bizarrely improbably coincidence that anything so mindbogglingly useful [the Babel fish] could have evolved by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.

The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."

"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED"

"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.

- Dr. Trintignant

Roboramma · 22nd October 2009, 08:52 PM

Funniest part:

Quote:

RD: All right, then there may be some, but a very large number of ancient historians would say…
HH: Well, you just said there were none. So there are some that you are choosing not to confront.
RD: You sound like a lawyer.
HH: I am a lawyer.

RD: Oh, for God’s sake. Are you? Okay. I didn’t know that. All right

Edit: Oh, this is pretty good too:

Quote:

RD: Okay, do you believe Jesus turned water into wine?
HH: Yes.
RD: You seriously do?
HH: Yes.
RD: You actually think that Jesus got water, and made all those molecules turn into wine?
HH: Yes.
RD: My God.
HH: Yes. My God, actually, not yours. But let me…
RD: I’ve realized the kind of person I’m dealing with now.

Edit 2, and this:

Quote:

HH: I think you understand what I’m saying, and you’re saying no, you don’t believe that, that it would not in fact fit that, a giant…for example, have you read the Harry Potter novels?
RD: No.
HH: Do you read any fiction at all?
RD: Of course.
HH: What’s the most complicated bit of fiction you’ve read? Like War and Peace?
RD: Yeah, what’s your point? What point are you making?

This guy is totally hilarious!

Roboramma · 22nd October 2009, 09:01 PM

It's pretty awesome that he says Dawkins' analogy fails because the evidence that Jesus performed miracles is as strong or stronger than the evidence that the Roman Empire existed.

Roboramma · 24th October 2009, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by Dr. Trintignant

I'm disappointed in Dawkins! In that last part, Hugh is basically making the claim that God made the world look like it evolved to allow for the possibility of faith.

Dawkins should have pulled out the trump card; a quote from his good, late friend Douglas Adams:

- Dr. Trintignant

In his defense, I think Dawkins was a little taken aback about half way through the interview, when he started to realise that the interviewer was actually a subscriber to the faith based views he was espousing.

See quotes in my previous post for evidence of that. :P

I like the Douglas Adams quote though.

Dr. Trintignant · 24th October 2009, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by Roboramma

In his defense, I think Dawkins was a little taken aback about half way through the interview, when he started to realise that the interviewer was actually a subscriber to the faith based views he was espousing.

See quotes in my previous post for evidence of that. :P

I like the Douglas Adams quote though.

Indeed. I think the water into wine thing was the turning point. Most "reasonable" theists seem to waver on the miracles; they never quite seem to take the stand that a particular miracle really, actually happened. Hewitt, though, happily confirmed his view, and that was the moment Dawkins realized he wasn't dealing with a reasonable theist (no matter how polite the conversation); he was dealing with a fundamentalist.

- Dr. Trintignant

PixyMisa · 24th October 2009, 06:11 AM

Darn. I used to listen to Hugh Hewitt's show pretty often - he has Christopher Hitchens on regularly, and Mark Steyn and James Lileks, who are also good. But the podcast recent went pay-only.

But Dr. T, no, Hewitt isn't a fundamentalist by any stretch of the imagination. He's religious, yes. But if you think he's a fundamentalist, then I'd have to guess there aren't too many fundamentalists where you live.

bokonon · 24th October 2009, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by PixyMisa

Hewitt isn't a fundamentalist by any stretch of the imagination. He's religious, yes. But if you think he's a fundamentalist, then I'd have to guess there aren't too many fundamentalists where you live.

Based on this interview he sounds like a believer in biblical inerrancy, which makes him a fundamentalist in my book too. What have you heard him say that's convinced you he's not?

PixyMisa · 24th October 2009, 08:57 PM

Well, for one thing, he has Christopher Hitchens on his show regularly.

Dr. Trintignant · 25th October 2009, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by PixyMisa

But Dr. T, no, Hewitt isn't a fundamentalist by any stretch of the imagination. He's religious, yes. But if you think he's a fundamentalist, then I'd have to guess there aren't too many fundamentalists where you live.

That would be a good guess. In fact, I'm quite lucky in having the majority of my friends and coworkers being atheist/agnostic. And I'll admit, I also don't know anything about Hewitt beyond what's in this interview (actually, I think I also heard one interview of his with Hitchens, but that would be it).

Just the same, I think it takes a very special mind to take the Bible that literally. My mother's side of the family is religious, but they take the Bible largely metaphorically. I consider that to be the baseline for reasonable religiosity. I'll give the resurrection as a "freebie" since it's kinda fundamental to Christianity, but to claim that even the minor miracles are literally true crosses a line for me. Well, at least he doesn't seem to believe in a young Earth.

- Dr. Trintignant

22nd October 2009, 12:46 PM	#1
headscratcher4 Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: USA Posts: 6,424	Richard Dawkins interviewed by Hugh Hewitt... http://www.hughhewitt.com/transcript...0-d4685976f8e0 Interesting.
	__________________ Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel. -- Homer Simpson

22nd October 2009, 03:15 PM	#2
Kuko 4000 Muse Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Finland Posts: 875	Where the hell can I find the audio of this?
	__________________ Richard Dawkins: "We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." Pixie of key: "HOW IS YOU NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT I AM GIVING LECTURES ON A PROBLEM."

22nd October 2009, 05:16 PM	#3
Dr. Trintignant Critical Thinker Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 458	Originally Posted by headscratcher4 http://www.hughhewitt.com/transcript...0-d4685976f8e0 Interesting. I'm disappointed in Dawkins! In that last part, Hugh is basically making the claim that God made the world look like it evolved to allow for the possibility of faith. Dawkins should have pulled out the trump card; a quote from his good, late friend Douglas Adams: Originally Posted by Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy Now it is such a bizarrely improbably coincidence that anything so mindbogglingly useful [the Babel fish] could have evolved by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God. The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing." "But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED" "Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic. - Dr. Trintignant
	__________________ Visit SkepTech, a blog and podcast dealing with technology and skepticism. You can subscribe to our RSS feed directly or look for us on iTunes.

22nd October 2009, 08:52 PM	#4
Roboramma Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shanghai Posts: 3,374	Funniest part: Quote: RD: All right, then there may be some, but a very large number of ancient historians would say… HH: Well, you just said there were none. So there are some that you are choosing not to confront. RD: You sound like a lawyer. HH: I am a lawyer. RD: Oh, for God’s sake. Are you? Okay. I didn’t know that. All right Edit: Oh, this is pretty good too: Quote: RD: Okay, do you believe Jesus turned water into wine? HH: Yes. RD: You seriously do? HH: Yes. RD: You actually think that Jesus got water, and made all those molecules turn into wine? HH: Yes. RD: My God. HH: Yes. My God, actually, not yours. But let me… RD: I’ve realized the kind of person I’m dealing with now. Edit 2, and this: Quote: HH: I think you understand what I’m saying, and you’re saying no, you don’t believe that, that it would not in fact fit that, a giant…for example, have you read the Harry Potter novels? RD: No. HH: Do you read any fiction at all? RD: Of course. HH: What’s the most complicated bit of fiction you’ve read? Like War and Peace? RD: Yeah, what’s your point? What point are you making? This guy is totally hilarious!
	__________________ "... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov www.reddoor-yoga.com Last edited by Roboramma; 22nd October 2009 at 08:57 PM.

22nd October 2009, 09:01 PM	#5
Roboramma Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shanghai Posts: 3,374	It's pretty awesome that he says Dawkins' analogy fails because the evidence that Jesus performed miracles is as strong or stronger than the evidence that the Roman Empire existed.
	__________________ "... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov www.reddoor-yoga.com

24th October 2009, 03:03 AM	#6
Roboramma Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shanghai Posts: 3,374	Originally Posted by Dr. Trintignant I'm disappointed in Dawkins! In that last part, Hugh is basically making the claim that God made the world look like it evolved to allow for the possibility of faith. Dawkins should have pulled out the trump card; a quote from his good, late friend Douglas Adams: - Dr. Trintignant In his defense, I think Dawkins was a little taken aback about half way through the interview, when he started to realise that the interviewer was actually a subscriber to the faith based views he was espousing. See quotes in my previous post for evidence of that. :P I like the Douglas Adams quote though.
	__________________ "... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov www.reddoor-yoga.com

24th October 2009, 03:57 AM	#7
Dr. Trintignant Critical Thinker Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 458	Originally Posted by Roboramma In his defense, I think Dawkins was a little taken aback about half way through the interview, when he started to realise that the interviewer was actually a subscriber to the faith based views he was espousing. See quotes in my previous post for evidence of that. :P I like the Douglas Adams quote though. Indeed. I think the water into wine thing was the turning point. Most "reasonable" theists seem to waver on the miracles; they never quite seem to take the stand that a particular miracle really, actually happened. Hewitt, though, happily confirmed his view, and that was the moment Dawkins realized he wasn't dealing with a reasonable theist (no matter how polite the conversation); he was dealing with a fundamentalist. - Dr. Trintignant
	__________________ Visit SkepTech, a blog and podcast dealing with technology and skepticism. You can subscribe to our RSS feed directly or look for us on iTunes.

24th October 2009, 06:11 AM	#8
PixyMisa Persnickety Insect Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 8,087	Darn. I used to listen to Hugh Hewitt's show pretty often - he has Christopher Hitchens on regularly, and Mark Steyn and James Lileks, who are also good. But the podcast recent went pay-only. But Dr. T, no, Hewitt isn't a fundamentalist by any stretch of the imagination. He's religious, yes. But if you think he's a fundamentalist, then I'd have to guess there aren't too many fundamentalists where you live.
	__________________ Free blogs for skeptics... And everyone else. mee.nu What, in the Holy Name of Gzortch, are you people doing?!?!!? - TGHO

24th October 2009, 07:48 AM	#9
bokonon Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 3,224	Originally Posted by PixyMisa Hewitt isn't a fundamentalist by any stretch of the imagination. He's religious, yes. But if you think he's a fundamentalist, then I'd have to guess there aren't too many fundamentalists where you live. Based on this interview he sounds like a believer in biblical inerrancy, which makes him a fundamentalist in my book too. What have you heard him say that's convinced you he's not?
bokonon Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 3,224	__________________ Laugh while you can, monkey boy.

24th October 2009, 08:57 PM	#10
PixyMisa Persnickety Insect Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 8,087	Well, for one thing, he has Christopher Hitchens on his show regularly.
	__________________ Free blogs for skeptics... And everyone else. mee.nu What, in the Holy Name of Gzortch, are you people doing?!?!!? - TGHO

25th October 2009, 04:44 AM	#11
Dr. Trintignant Critical Thinker Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 458	Originally Posted by PixyMisa But Dr. T, no, Hewitt isn't a fundamentalist by any stretch of the imagination. He's religious, yes. But if you think he's a fundamentalist, then I'd have to guess there aren't too many fundamentalists where you live. That would be a good guess. In fact, I'm quite lucky in having the majority of my friends and coworkers being atheist/agnostic. And I'll admit, I also don't know anything about Hewitt beyond what's in this interview (actually, I think I also heard one interview of his with Hitchens, but that would be it). Just the same, I think it takes a very special mind to take the Bible that literally. My mother's side of the family is religious, but they take the Bible largely metaphorically. I consider that to be the baseline for reasonable religiosity. I'll give the resurrection as a "freebie" since it's kinda fundamental to Christianity, but to claim that even the minor miracles are literally true crosses a line for me. Well, at least he doesn't seem to believe in a young Earth. - Dr. Trintignant
	__________________ Visit SkepTech, a blog and podcast dealing with technology and skepticism. You can subscribe to our RSS feed directly or look for us on iTunes.