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Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Tue May 10, 2022 10:40 pm
by ceeboo
Hey all,

I watch The Michael Shermer Show on YouTube every now and then (I am a fan of Shermer and frequently enjoy the fascinating subjects/topics/perspectives that he, as well as his show, provide to his viewers) - I recently finished watching one of his shows where his guest was Stephen Meyer (I am also a fan of Meyer) - The show discusses, mostly, Meyer's latest book "Return of the God Hypothesis".

As well as being an absolutely fascinating discussion on a number of levels (in my opinion), I really admired how each of these men treated one another during the entire show.

Anyway, I thought some of you might enjoy watching so here it is.


https://youtu.be/On-4lOWuWQQ

Re: Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 12:17 am
by Atlanticmike
I'm going to listen to the video tomorrow during work, thanks for posting it. I learned of Michael Shermer while scrolling through Jordan Peterson videos a few months ago. He's a great guy and fun to listen to.

Here's the video I watched with Peterson
https://youtu.be/a6hGWCWQGVg

Re: Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 12:30 am
by Doctor CamNC4Me
What part pf the two-hour interview or discussion did you find most engaging? - timestamp, please.

- Doc

Re: Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 1:36 am
by ceeboo
Hey Mike
Atlanticmike wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:17 am
I'm going to listen to the video tomorrow during work, thanks for posting it.
You're most welcome - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The entire two hours is more than worth the time invested. In addition to extremely interesting discussion, the tone, civility, and mutual courtesy extended was really encouraging and quite admirable in my opinion.

Re: Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 6:09 am
by Chap
Doctor CamNC4Me wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:30 am
What part pf the two-hour interview or discussion did you find most engaging? - timestamp, please.

- Doc
ceeboo wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 1:36 am
The entire two hours is more than worth the time invested.
The mind recoils shuddering from the idea that there are people out there with nothing better to do than to spend two hours watching a video just because this guy on the internet says it is "more than worth the time invested".

But since this is a discussion board, it might be appropriate for Ceeboo to type some words in which he outlines what he considers to be one of the principal arguments made by one of the people in this video so that we can ... errr, what's the word? ... yes, I know, so that we can discuss it?

Re: Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 11:55 am
by Doctor CamNC4Me
Chap wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 6:09 am
Doctor CamNC4Me wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:30 am
What part pf the two-hour interview or discussion did you find most engaging? - timestamp, please.

- Doc
ceeboo wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 1:36 am
The entire two hours is more than worth the time invested.
The mind recoils shuddering from the idea that there are people out there with nothing better to do than to spend two hours watching a video just because this guy on the internet says it is "more than worth the time invested".

But since this is a discussion board, it might be appropriate for Ceeboo to type some words in which he outlines what he considers to be one of the principal arguments made by one of the people in this video so that we can ... errr, what's the word? ... yes, I know, so that we can discuss it?
> I watched a thing and it was really great!

~ Thanks!

> They were really nice.

:geek:

Re: Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 4:06 pm
by Xenophon
I needed something to listen to while I worked this morning so I'll chime in (1.5x speed helps).

Generically speaking I didn't really hear much from Meyer that I hadn't heard before. Anyone familiar with ID arguments, particularly the more recent attempts to use cosmology as another arm outside of biological battles, will likely be in the same boat.

The conversation was very congenial and Shermer provided lots of pushback to Meyer but in a pleasant and non-demeaning way. The back and forth was enjoyable, they're obviously both highly intelligent and friendly people and I find conversations between folks like that interesting (even if I think one of them is fairly misguided).

I did like that Shermer spends some time pressing Meyer for elaboration, even around topics that generally Meyer would say "we don't know for certain". The more enjoyable one for me was at the 59 minute mark Shermer gets into one of the core issues around ID, that being the mind-body problem of how does a divine mind interfere in the physical world (until about 1:12 it is the most focused, it continues on after that but in a less direct manner). Again there isn't a whole lot here that is ground-breaking but I'd say the conversation is more about personal belief and understanding and less rigid than you'd get from a technical debate or from reading highly edited literature and so there is something fascinating in that back and forth.

I'd say if you're needing a refresher on the conversation around the current state of the ID world and want to hear it in a way that has polite but stern counter-punches, this is as good a platform as any. If none of that interests you, then keep on scrolling.

Re: Michael Shermer - Stephen Meyer

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 9:48 pm
by ceeboo
Hey X-Factor!
Xenophon wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 4:06 pm
I needed something to listen to while I worked this morning so I'll chime in (1.5x speed helps).
Thanks for chiming in.
The conversation was very congenial and Shermer provided lots of pushback to Meyer but in a pleasant and non-demeaning way.
Yes, and considering that this was Shermer's show, much of the credit for this belongs to Shermer. There is no doubt that Shermer was very gracious to his guest and gave him a very generous amount of speaking time.
The back and forth was enjoyable, they're obviously both highly intelligent and friendly people and I find conversations between folks like that interesting
I agree.
(even if I think one of them is fairly misguided).
I assume you're speaking about Mr. Shermer here, yes? :)
I'd say if you're needing a refresher on the conversation around the current state of the ID world and want to hear it in a way that has polite but stern counter-punches, this is as good a platform as any.
Agreed but there was more - meaning another worldview that was discussed. That being the current state of the naturalistic worldview. I think Meyer refers to this as "exotic naturalism" (I see it as super natural naturalism) when he discusses the various theories/proposals that currently look/point to things outside of this universe to explain things that we see in this universe. Meyer expresses a heavy dose of skepticism around these ideas and I I got the impression that Shermer shared this skepticism (Perhaps I am wrong and Shermer isn't skeptical about these various possible naturalistic explanations?)
If none of that interests you, then keep on scrolling.
Yep.

Thanks again for your thoughts.