Apparently, Einstein was wrong, I guess.

[Trotskylvania]

While I'm busy resisting the urge to bury an iceaxe in my head from the stupidity that is attaching "gate" to something to denote a scandal, do you mind explaining to me what "elevatorgate" *shudders* is?

A guy hit on Skepchic in an elevator at a weird time of the day. She then briefly mentioned it and said it made her feel uncomfortable. Afterward, the whole atheist community on Youtube blew it way the fuck out of proportion.

That is the dumbest god damn thing I've heard in a long time.

I like when some atheists pretend they know science well and are smarter and know science better than believers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm ignostic so I fall more into the skeptical category than the believer one, but the average atheist is similar to the average person in that they don't know much at all about science. There are some scientists who are atheists, but that doesn't mean that the atheist laypersons have a better knowledge of science than the theistic laypersons.

So it really doesn't surprise me when atheists also believe stupid things.

Scientifically literate people are much more likely to be atheistic. That doesn't mean atheistic people are all that likely to be scientific. It's really just an avoidance of affirming the consequent.

That's probably the most common logical fallacy of them all.

[Seperates]

While I'm busy resisting the urge to bury an iceaxe in my head from the stupidity that is attaching "gate" to something to denote a scandal, do you mind explaining to me what "elevatorgate" *shudders* is?

A guy hit on Skepchic in an elevator at a weird time of the day. She then briefly mentioned it and said it made her feel uncomfortable. Afterward, the whole atheist community on Youtube blew it way the fuck out of proportion.

Yeah, I remember that... We do have an irritating tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot. But then again, what else would you expect from a community of skeptics? We question everything because... well... it's who we are.

[Mosasauria]

The funny thing is that towards the end, he starts talking about random things, like that "We're the last generation of humans on Earth", and "We will not make it to the 22nd century", etc.
Yet he does not explain why, nor does he have any sort of proof.

[Robert Magoo]

I like when some atheists pretend they know science well and are smarter and know science better than believers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm ignostic so I fall more into the skeptical category than the believer one, but the average atheist is similar to the average person in that they don't know much at all about science. There are some scientists who are atheists, but that doesn't mean that the atheist laypersons have a better knowledge of science than the theistic laypersons.

So it really doesn't surprise me when atheists also believe stupid things.

As a theist, I can tell you:

Atheist = rational and intelligent person

Theist = irrational, idiotic, sexist, homophobic subhuman.

*nods*

Well, I may have exaggerated a bit, but the main point is there somewhere.

No, that's pretty much true. Whenever I'm about to say or do something rational, I make sure to bang a hammer against my head a few times so that those thoughts never come back.

[Four-sided Triangles]

That's probably the most common logical fallacy of them all.

Technically, the non-sequitur is the most common of all, because all fallacies are, in some sense, non-sequitur.

[Trotskylvania]

That's probably the most common logical fallacy of them all.

Technically, the non-sequitur is the most common of all, because all fallacies are, in some sense, non-sequitur.

But that's like saying that all errors are wrong.

[Four-sided Triangles]

Yeah, I remember that... We do have an irritating tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot. But then again, what else would you expect from a community of skeptics? We question everything because... well... it's who we are.

Skeptics and liberals are both good at this. Then again, many skeptics are liberals. Liberals invent many criticisms that are then hijacked and misapplied by conservatives.

[Four-sided Triangles]

But that's like saying that all errors are wrong.

I didn't say it was an enlightening point.

[Trotskylvania]

But that's like saying that all errors are wrong.

I didn't say it was an enlightening point.

I know. I was making that clear for the uniniatiated in logic. Not many people know that "non sequitur" is simply Latin for "it does not follow", and all fallacious arguments doe not follow from their premises.

[Dakini]

While I'm busy resisting the urge to bury an iceaxe in my head from the stupidity that is attaching "gate" to something to denote a scandal, do you mind explaining to me what "elevatorgate" *shudders* is?

A guy hit on Skepchic in an elevator at a weird time of the day. She then briefly mentioned it and said it made her feel uncomfortable. Afterward, the whole atheist community on Youtube blew it way the fuck out of proportion.

Well, he hit on her at 4am after he had been sitting in the bar with the same group of people listening to her talk about how she doesn't like to be hit on at conferences. The entire time they were both in the bar, he didn't talk to her at all. Then he asked her up to his room for coffee when they were alone in the elevator (if you have any social sense "coffee" in a hotel room at 4am = "sex").

But yes, she did just briefly express that she was made uncomfortable and then a lot of people acted like she'd castrated the (socially inept) fellow for asking that men please not do that.

[Dakini]

I like when some atheists pretend they know science well and are smarter and know science better than believers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm ignostic so I fall more into the skeptical category than the believer one, but the average atheist is similar to the average person in that they don't know much at all about science. There are some scientists who are atheists, but that doesn't mean that the atheist laypersons have a better knowledge of science than the theistic laypersons.

So it really doesn't surprise me when atheists also believe stupid things.

Scientifically literate people are much more likely to be atheistic. That doesn't mean atheistic people are all that likely to be scientific. It's really just an avoidance of affirming the consequent.

Scientists are more likely to be atheists than the general population (but even then, it's not even half). I'd like to see sources on scientifically literate laypeople being more atheistic because I haven't found that to be true.

[Four-sided Triangles]

Well, he hit on her at 4am after he had been sitting in the bar with the same group of people listening to her talk about how she doesn't like to be hit on at conferences. The entire time they were both in the bar, he didn't talk to her at all. Then he asked her up to his room for coffee when they were alone in the elevator (if you have any social sense "coffee" in a hotel room at 4am = "sex").

But yes, she did just briefly express that she was made uncomfortable and then a lot of people acted like she'd castrated the (socially inept) fellow for asking that men please not do that.

I'm not saying what the guy did was socially acceptable. Then again, she never said the guy was an evil rapist. He was just a nerdy guy who probably had no idea how and when to hit on women.

[Seperates]

They are a tiny minority also. And one usually expects this sort of anti-science crusading from religious fanatics, but the fact that this man and his acolytes are professed atheists just makes it darkly comical, as their little cult seems to have missed the point of atheism.

I like when some atheists pretend they know science well and are smarter and know science better than believers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm ignostic so I fall more into the skeptical category than the believer one, but the average atheist is similar to the average person in that they don't know much at all about science. There are some scientists who are atheists, but that doesn't mean that the atheist laypersons have a better knowledge of science than the theistic laypersons.

So it really doesn't surprise me when atheists also believe stupid things.

Well, the thing is... I'm sure I can't speak for everyone, but my atheism is mostly a consequence of things that I already am. I was raised a Catholic, a good Catholic at that, said my prayers every night and everything.

But I am naturally skeptical. And when I went to religion to get answers about how the universe operates and why, I got vague and illogical answers. Eventually I began to become scientifically literate, and I realized that science could eventually, with alot of testing and hard work, produce the answer to "how" and could logically trace it's steps.

So then I needed an answer to "why". Again, I orginally went to religion, granting "God's Plan"... but that was also illogical. Why set up a trial for us if he loved us? Why test us? Are we an expieriment to him? Then what is God but a human scientist, also testing the limits of this world... but he knows all... So why would he need to expieriment, if he already knew the outcome? And so on a so forth.

Eventually I stumbled my way into Philosophy, which eventually lead me to the conclusion that... there isn't an answer to the why other than chance, blind chance.

And that is why I am an atheist. Not the other way around.

[Vellosia]

Technically, Einstein's original Theory of Relativity is wrong - because he refused to believe that the Universe was expanding, and hence inserted an incorrect constant into his equations.

[Four-sided Triangles]

Scientists are more likely to be atheists than the general population (but even then, it's not even half). I'd like to see sources on scientifically literate laypeople being more atheistic because I haven't found that to be true.

There really aren't that many scientifically literate lay people. If you can't keep up with modern literature in a given field, I wouldn't really call you scientifically literate.

And actually, amongst NAS scientists, it's about 93% who lack belief in a personal god. It's around half for ALL scientists, but for elite scientists, it's over 9000 90%.

Philosophers are also extremely prone to atheism.

[Seperates]

Yeah, I remember that... We do have an irritating tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot. But then again, what else would you expect from a community of skeptics? We question everything because... well... it's who we are.

Skeptics and liberals are both good at this. Then again, many skeptics are liberals. Liberals invent many criticisms that are then hijacked and misapplied by conservatives.

Yup...

[Keronians]

As a theist, I can tell you:

Atheist = rational and intelligent person

Theist = irrational, idiotic, sexist, homophobic subhuman.

*nods*

Well, I may have exaggerated a bit, but the main point is there somewhere.

No, that's pretty much true. Whenever I'm about to say or do something rational, I make sure to bang a hammer against my head a few times so that those thoughts never come back.

I know.

We're all irrational idiots.

[Seperates]

A guy hit on Skepchic in an elevator at a weird time of the day. She then briefly mentioned it and said it made her feel uncomfortable. Afterward, the whole atheist community on Youtube blew it way the fuck out of proportion.

Well, he hit on her at 4am after he had been sitting in the bar with the same group of people listening to her talk about how she doesn't like to be hit on at conferences. The entire time they were both in the bar, he didn't talk to her at all. Then he asked her up to his room for coffee when they were alone in the elevator (if you have any social sense "coffee" in a hotel room at 4am = "sex").

But yes, she did just briefly express that she was made uncomfortable and then a lot of people acted like she'd castrated the (socially inept) fellow for asking that men please not do that.

Yeah... it was bad. Made me ashamed to be a part of the community.

[Dakini]

Well, he hit on her at 4am after he had been sitting in the bar with the same group of people listening to her talk about how she doesn't like to be hit on at conferences. The entire time they were both in the bar, he didn't talk to her at all. Then he asked her up to his room for coffee when they were alone in the elevator (if you have any social sense "coffee" in a hotel room at 4am = "sex").

But yes, she did just briefly express that she was made uncomfortable and then a lot of people acted like she'd castrated the (socially inept) fellow for asking that men please not do that.

I'm not saying what the guy did was socially acceptable. Then again, she never said the guy was an evil rapist. He was just a nerdy guy who probably had no idea how and when to hit on women.

Oh, I agree. The reaction was definitely overblown and very quickly descended into name-calling and lots of sexism. I don't really have higher expectations for atheists than I do for anyone else on this point, but it was still surprising how bad it got.

[Four-sided Triangles]

Oh, I agree. The reaction was definitely overblown and very quickly descended into name-calling and lots of sexism. I don't really have higher expectations for atheists than I do for anyone else on this point, but it was still surprising how bad it got.

Again, I contend that atheism, not atheists, is rational.

[Seperates]

I'm not saying what the guy did was socially acceptable. Then again, she never said the guy was an evil rapist. He was just a nerdy guy who probably had no idea how and when to hit on women.

Oh, I agree. The reaction was definitely overblown and very quickly descended into name-calling and lots of sexism. I don't really have higher expectations for atheists than I do for anyone else on this point, but it was still surprising how bad it got.

I, unfortunatly, did have higher expectations. Alot of the problem had to do with the fact that a couple of the bloggers blew what she had said about the guy way out of proportion (they compared it to the abuse of third world women), and this offended many of the of the more "politically correct" of those out there who had not actually seen the video, and they in-turn responded proportionally to the articles (which was over-all improportional to what Skepchic actually said).

It was a mess.

[Dakini]

Scientists are more likely to be atheists than the general population (but even then, it's not even half). I'd like to see sources on scientifically literate laypeople being more atheistic because I haven't found that to be true.

There really aren't that many scientifically literate lay people. If you can't keep up with modern literature in a given field, I wouldn't really call you scientifically literate.

Nah. I think that scientific literacy is more about knowing what science means and having a basic (but still reasonably correct) idea of the major scientific theories in various disciplines. It also means being able to read popular articles on the subject and sort of get the point.

If scientific literacy depended on a literature review then that's a bit of a weird way to define it. I mean, I'm not into the literature on the latest in evolutionary biology or behavioural psychology or chemistry or even something like solid state physics or quantum computing, but I'm up to date on evolved low mass stars. I still have a general idea of how stars are formed and some of the current problems, I have an idea of what evolution means, I have an idea of how plate tectonics work and an idea of the human impact on the environment.

Being an astronomer doesn't give me any special insight into other fields, but I have an idea of how science works, I have a general idea of some of the ideas that are being explored in other disciplines (though nothing really cutting edge) and I can think critically about someone's results as reported in the media. I think this is what makes a person scientifically literate and I don't think you need to have an advanced degree in a scientific field to be scientifically literate.

And actually, amongst NAS scientists, it's about 93% who lack belief in a personal god. It's around half for ALL scientists, but for elite scientists, it's over 9000 90%.

Philosophers are also extremely prone to atheism.

It's about 40% for scientists overall (less if you include the social sciences), unless you have a newer study.

[Trotskylvania]

I am surprised that political scientists had higher faith in god than any of the other social scientists. Because there was only one conclusion I could reach from studying politics: either God didn't exist or he was totally out to lunch.