KevinDW78 Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I just came across this great film called Here Be Dragons: Introduction to Critical Thinking. It's free to watch or download. It's an examination of logic and rationality when faced with nonsense like psychics and pseudoscience http://herebedragonsmovie.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thales Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Excellent! Thanks for that, Kevin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branden Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 That was a really insightful movie. I particularly liked his discussion of correlation vs causation and appeals to political views to trump science. I wonder how much the speaker applies those principles consistently, though, to things like global warming. Thanks for posting it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volco Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 that was very nice, I'm divulging it as we speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Radiaki Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 That was a really insightful movie. I particularly liked his discussion of correlation vs causation and appeals to political views to trump science. I wonder how much the speaker applies those principles consistently, though, to things like global warming. Thanks for posting it The speaker(Brian Dunning) is quite consistent in his application of his principles. You can hear him speak about global warming and many other topics at www.skeptoid.com. All podcasts are also transcribed for those with low-bandwidth connections. I would especially recommend his recent podcast on the 'evils' of fast food, and the myths that Super-Size Me has helped propagate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volco Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I was a little thrilled by the part in which he defends the FDA for the sake of his vision of Objectivity. It made me question its role, but again there's a thread about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoroneus Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 (edited) I especially like the part where he does the Truther argument with himself, complete with runaway. Edited June 16, 2008 by Phoroneus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinDW78 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I especially like the part where he does the Truther argument with himself, complete with runaway. lol yeah. So true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thales Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I should add that while he gave lots of great thinking tools, the real bulwark against baloney is Objectivist epistemology. Context, hierarchy, and making sure things are logically tied to reality are the means to banging out contradictions in thought and keeping yourself on a sold path. By doing this, you're putting more and more pieces of the puzzle together, that is, you're integrating and thus reinforcing your knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volco Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 I believe I've found the biggest piesce of baloney: "the Secret" I'm 20 minutes into this 1:30 free attack on the senses and just needed your opinion: is this the most evil piesce of media you've ever encountered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruveyn ben yosef Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 (edited) I just came across this great film called Here Be Dragons: Introduction to Critical Thinking. It's free to watch or download. It's an examination of logic and rationality when faced with nonsense like psychics and pseudoscience http://herebedragonsmovie.com/ What is green, hangs on a wall and whistles? Answer: A Red Herring. What! How can a Red Herring be green? So paint it green. What! How can a fish hang on a wall? So nail it to the wall. What! How can a dead fish whistle? Big deal! So it doesn't whistle. ruveyn Edited June 20, 2008 by ruveyn ben yosef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinDW78 Posted June 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 I believe I've found the biggest piesce of baloney: "the Secret" I haven't read it, but I flipped through it in the bookstore. It is identical in its message to the series of books called "Conversations With God" which are even bigger than The Secret and touted by the same people like Oprah. I have to admit before I started embracing Objectivism I was fully enveloped in that kind of nonsense, but still in an agnostic sense. I did feel very strongly that your own mind is the most powerful thing in existence and through it you can literally shape your physical life and control the happenings of "fate" that happen to us. i.e. there is a reason I have never been seriously ill, broken a bone, or ever been to a hospital in my life - because I don't choose to be. That sort of thing. I guess I still believe that to some degree, but I've stopped thinking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volco Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 well I only began watching the movie but had to get to some charts and paperwork. What I meant was that this movie (or book) might be particularly evil because it is true that the human mind is the most powerful, or most extropic, thing in the universe. But they make it seem as it is also omnipotent. They imply over and over and over again that all effects need only a mental whimsical cause. It was mind-boggling so I posted it here in contrast to Here be Dragons. If it was 100% baloney, like the virgin birth and the zombie rising, it would be easier to dismiss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benpercent Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I downloaded the gigabyte version and thoroughly enjoyed it. Later on I plan on re watching to drill in the points some more. The only thing I can say that I seriously disliked about this movie was the absence of closed captioning. Perhaps in the future I will donate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinDW78 Posted June 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 (edited) I seriously disliked about this movie was the absence of closed captioning Did you try downloading the DVD iso image file? That might have CC. (I am downloading the iso right now to burn my own DVD. When I am done, I'll let you know if it has CC on it) Edited June 24, 2008 by KevinDW78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benpercent Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Did you try downloading the DVD iso image file? That might have CC. (I am downloading the iso right now to burn my own DVD. When I am done, I'll let you know if it has CC on it) I would appreciate that. I am technologically ignorant as to what to do with an iso file or what program to play it with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinDW78 Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 (edited) I am technologically ignorant as to what to do with an iso file an iso file is an "image" (a snapshot of data, as it were) of the data contained on a CD/DVD - almost like a .zip file of everything contained on the disc. There is a free program called ImgBurn (google it) which will burn DVDs from iso files. (I downloaded the img file but I've been too busy to burn it yet. I'll try to remember to get to it today.) Edited June 25, 2008 by KevinDW78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinDW78 Posted June 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 I seriously disliked about this movie was the absence of closed captioning Sorry, I just burned the iso version and while it does have a pretty main menu for selecting normal or widescreen, there is no CC that I can tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benpercent Posted June 27, 2008 Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 Sorry, I just burned the iso version and while it does have a pretty main menu for selecting normal or widescreen, there is no CC that I can tell. Oh well. Thank you for trying. Man, I can't wait for the technology to come into existence that will be able to effectively Open-Caption any prerecorded video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benpercent Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 (edited) Good news! There is now an extra file you can download that will insert subtitles: http://herebedragonsmovie.com/download.php (At the bottom of the page) For those who do not know what to do with this file: Merely make sure it is the same name as the corresponding movie file (ignoring the file extension), and is in the same file directory. If you have the VLC player, then the rest is automatic when you execute the file. [Reason for edit: Clarification] Edited August 5, 2008 by Benpercent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinDW78 Posted August 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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