A Scientist Explains Why He Believes in the Resurrection

[Skeptic Ginger]

You imagine whoever you want.

Depending on your definition of "you" this assumes facts not in evidence. At what point do people chose to follow the beliefs their parents raised them believing and when do they choose to reject those beliefs? Seems like one needs a study in indoctrination to answer that question. Not everyone will have chosen whoever they want.

 

[acbytesla]

Depending on your definition of "you" this assumes facts not in evidence. At what point do people chose to follow the beliefs their parents raised them believing and when do they choose to reject those beliefs? Seems like one needs a study in indoctrination to answer that question. Not everyone will have chosen whoever they want.

An author I highly recommend is Michael Shermer. He has written many books on how people learn and believe. .

Books by Michael Shermer » Michael Shermer

Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the Science Salon Podcast, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain, Why...

michaelshermer.com

To summarize one of the concepts he writes about. Everyone believes false things. At least for moments. It's how are brains think. All of us our constantly trying to reinforce what we already think or believe. And the more any individual belief is reinforced the more difficult it becomes to change our minds.
There's a reason religious institutions emphasize teaching children. That makes it exponentially more difficult to change people's minds. Here is a video by Seth Andrews that explains why this is so effective.

 

[arthwollipot]

An author I highly recommend is Michael Shermer.

I don't. There are better books, written by people who are not rapists.

 

[acbytesla]

I don't. There are better books, written by people who are not rapists.

I've read the accusation against him. I dont know what to make of it.

That said, his books about how we learn and believe are well written and they convey their ideas in very understandable prose. i really like The Believing Brain.

Are there better books that teach this? Maybe, I don't know. I haven't read them.

 

[arthwollipot]

I've read the accusation against him. I dont know what to make of it.

I know the person he raped. She's a friend of mine. I know exactly what to make of it.

I recommend The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe: How to know what's really real in a world full of fake by Steven Novella et al.

 

[acbytesla]

I know the person he raped. She's a friend of mine. I know exactly what to make of it.

I recommend The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe: How to know what's really real in a world full of fake by Steven Novella et al.

Fair enough. I don't. I will put that on my books to read list. Thanks.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Shermer doesn't impress me. I am very familiar with his work, and it doesn't have anything to do with his getting women drunk and what follows.

He has some good ideas all well worth reading. I'm not denigrating most of his ideas. But he lost me when I saw him at the Elliot Bay Bookstore here in Seattle. It was a major issue over policing but it has nothing to do with the resurrection or life after death and I don't want to hijack the thread.

 

[acbytesla]

Shermer doesn't impress me. I am very familiar with his work, and it doesn't have anything to do with his getting women drunk and what follows.

He has some good ideas all well worth reading. I'm not denigrating most of his ideas. But he lost me when I saw him at the Elliot Bay Bookstore here in Seattle. It was a major issue over policing but it has nothing to do with the resurrection or life after death and I don't want to hijack the thread.

I have read two of his books. The Believing Brain and Why People Believe Weird Things. I particularly liked The Believing Brain.
I can not say anything about him personally.

Great book store BTW.

 

[arthwollipot]

I read a couple of his books to, before he raped my friend. Why People Believe Weird Things is a decent introduction to the principles of skepticism.