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Dog Boots · 4th November 2006, 04:59 AM

This was new to me, so I hope it's not a repost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADPc3ZF5Yok

An extremely interesting lecture, I found, by Richard Dawkins in 2005, but not exactly on the subject we normally see him on these days. Rather, it's centered about Haldane's "querer than we CAN suppose" idea. About perception, orders of magnitude, bats hearing in color and much more.

Probably the best 22 minutes I ever spent on YouTube.

Roboramma · 5th November 2006, 07:22 AM

Thanks!

That video, along with many others, is also available on Dawkins' site.

Here's my favourite: http://richarddawkins.net/cat1_Scien...-and-Chemistry

The Mad Hatter · 5th November 2006, 01:07 PM

I was lucky, I got to hear this lecture live at McGill a couple weeks ago. I found it very interesting, but in the Q/A session, a few people started their questions with, "I actually came here hoping you would talk about God..."

joobz · 5th November 2006, 03:38 PM

Very interesting. Nice take but feels very much like the, "What is reality" games people always play.

The whole "why can't we pass through walls" game is somewhat passe.
Use the macroscopic model of a chain link fence. Even things with known spaces can be not passible. It all depends upon the way the matter is arranged and the way the energy is distributed among the atoms.

CapelDodger · 5th November 2006, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Dog Boots

Rather, it's centered about Haldane's "queerer than we CAN suppose" idea. About perception, orders of magnitude, bats hearing in color and much more.

I find those ideas profound. I read a few years ago about river-dolphins (I think in the Amazon) who use echo-location to hunt. They use a basic search frequency, but when they find a target they zero in with varying frequencies, searching out resonances. Fish-bodies, with all those cavities and membranes and squishiness, respond very differently to, say, logs. Just as bats might hear in "color" (so to speak), aren't the dolphins perceiving "touch" at a distance?

Quote:

Probably the best 22 minutes I ever spent on YouTube.

Have you checked out the guy who's building Stonehenge Re-Loaded? That's the best 6 minutes I've spent on YouTube.

4th November 2006, 04:59 AM	#1
Dog Boots Thinker Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 193	Great and unusual lecture from Dawkins! This was new to me, so I hope it's not a repost. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADPc3ZF5Yok An extremely interesting lecture, I found, by Richard Dawkins in 2005, but not exactly on the subject we normally see him on these days. Rather, it's centered about Haldane's "querer than we CAN suppose" idea. About perception, orders of magnitude, bats hearing in color and much more. Probably the best 22 minutes I ever spent on YouTube.
	__________________ The Christian god is not only the most evil character in all of fiction, he's almost the most evil character imaginable. He creates billions of beings, gives them the capacity to suffer and then sends the majority of them to eternal suffering. A minority make it to Heaven, and that's why he is only close to being the most evil character imaginable.

5th November 2006, 07:22 AM	#2
Roboramma Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shanghai Posts: 7,131	Thanks! That video, along with many others, is also available on Dawkins' site. Here's my favourite: http://richarddawkins.net/cat1_Scien...-and-Chemistry
	__________________ "... 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

5th November 2006, 03:38 PM	#4
joobz Tergiversator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: That's how you get ants Posts: 17,585	Very interesting. Nice take but feels very much like the, "What is reality" games people always play. The whole "why can't we pass through walls" game is somewhat passe. Use the macroscopic model of a chain link fence. Even things with known spaces can be not passible. It all depends upon the way the matter is arranged and the way the energy is distributed among the atoms.
	__________________ What's the best argument for UHC? This argument against UHC. "Perhaps one reason per capita GDP is lower in UHC countries is because they've tried to prevent this important function [bankrupting the sick] and thus carry forward considerable economic dead wood?"-BeAChooser

5th November 2006, 05:19 PM	#5
CapelDodger Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Posts: 16,761	Originally Posted by Dog Boots Rather, it's centered about Haldane's "queerer than we CAN suppose" idea. About perception, orders of magnitude, bats hearing in color and much more. I find those ideas profound. I read a few years ago about river-dolphins (I think in the Amazon) who use echo-location to hunt. They use a basic search frequency, but when they find a target they zero in with varying frequencies, searching out resonances. Fish-bodies, with all those cavities and membranes and squishiness, respond very differently to, say, logs. Just as bats might hear in "color" (so to speak), aren't the dolphins perceiving "touch" at a distance? Quote: Probably the best 22 minutes I ever spent on YouTube. Have you checked out the guy who's building Stonehenge Re-Loaded? That's the best 6 minutes I've spent on YouTube.
	__________________ It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward - Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so - William of Conches, c1150

5th November 2006, 01:07 PM	#3
The Mad Hatter Thinker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wonderland/Montreal Posts: 128	I was lucky, I got to hear this lecture live at McGill a couple weeks ago. I found it very interesting, but in the Q/A session, a few people started their questions with, "I actually came here hoping you would talk about God..."