Neil deGrasse Tyson 'responds' to William Lane Craig

I don't own any of the material in this video, which can be found at the following links:

1st Clip is Old Yeller (1957), property of Walt Disney Productions

2nd Clip is Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Property of Michael White Productions, National Film Trustee Company, and Python (Monty) Pictures

[rob]

So according to Tyson, the ideas that we are mere star dust makes our lives so significant, that it brings us

[tentininjai]

Ironic that Tyson said someone else’s problem was their big ego.

[mytuber]

But he didn't really respond to Dr. Craig...

[TBOTSS]

Neil deGrasse Tyron "responds" to William Lane Craig.
Nope he does no such thing.

[carlpeterson]

Tyson's comments make no sense.  Why does it matter if we are akin to the universe or our particles were once another part of the universe (a star or whatever).  What grounds can he say that anyone's ego is too large or they are thinking about it (philosophically) incorrectly?  I guess he can make up whatever he worldview that makes him happy but there is no real basis for it besides his own desires.  Since there is no meaning to the universe and there is nothing behind it then there is no reason to think that being a part of it means anything. Basically he is using a lot of thoughts and words that his worldview cannot back up.

[ReallyWeirdThingsCom]

"15 lbs of gray matter" ... In terms of average human brain weight, Tyson's off by a factor of more than 500%. Yes, yes, yes -- I know it was just an honest misspeaking on Tyson's part -- a momentary mix-up of signals between the brain and mouth that commonly happens to the best of us -- and it's almost certain that he doesn't really think human brains weigh anything close to 15 lbs. But, I guarantee that if WLC had misspoken in exactly the same way, the comment section here would be full of drooling-at-the-mouth internet-atheists screaming about what a dummy WLC was for thinking the human brain weighs 15lbs.

[alexluna]

Beautiful absolutely beautiful ! The wonder awe and majesty that comes from seeing past ones ego and having humility before the Truth that is shown that is and not what we wish it to be takes a moment of humility to step outside ourselves is truly something wonderful Science and our discoveries have shown us

[jax]

Its seem to me there is no real conflict here. Craig is pointing out the Philosophical implications of the science that Tyson is espousing. If there is no God then all we have are pointless lives and meaningless deaths. I'm not sure how anyone can disagree with that.

[Birdieupon]

When a homeless girl gets raped and beaten, and the criminals vanish into the shadows beyond any hope of getting caught, and her life is in ruins... will Tyson say to her "sweetheart, your ego is just too big, look at how insignificant your injustice is compared to the size of the cosmos"? The guy doesn't have a clue.

[vincepawn]

So when does "Neil deGrasse Tyson "respond" to William Lane Craig?

[jrcus]

Um...here the problem with this "response."  It does not sound like Dr. Tyson is responding to Dr. Craig.  But Dr. Craig is right in his argument that during the Enlightenment when people said God had nothing to do with the meaning of life and they pursue a non-deistic answer you end up at the conclusion that there is no purpose to life just a random cosmic accident.

Now of course that would make you *feel* bad.  Of course! It make all of us *feel* and Dr. Tyson emphasizes that *feeling* but when you stop to *think* about emotional conclusions, they are as a sandy foundation in which the foundation does not hold it shape and has no strength to keep a building upon it.  Emotions change.

Dr. Tyson makes himself feel good by coming up with these theories about how "large" he feels in the universe.  Fine that's his feelings.  But to use that as a "rebuttal" to the truth of Dr. Craig is quite inappropriate to Dr. Craig and Dr Tyson.

[NorCaltheologians]

Tyson is a good pop science guy on tv but a laughable philosopher

[duanehensley]

Umm???... Am I missing something? I was waiting to hear something profound from Neil that was supposed to be a knockout statement in response to Craig but instead was treated to some meaningless philosophical rant from a guy who has proven himself to be inconsistent with his application of philosophy. Surely you have better material than this.

[johanngoethe]

I wonder how many people caught what Tyson said at about 2:17 "resonates with New Age thinking". How many think Tyson is really non-religious or even know what New Age theology is all about?

Like author Dan Brown, Tyson wages battle with most of all Christians, who New Agers view as the primary impediment to the onset of their New Age of self-realization. Like Brown, Tyson seldom lets slip what his own belief system is.

After all, who would join him in opposing 'religion' if they knew he had one of his own?

[JesusIsUnstoppable]

Fact vs opinion. Funny that Tyson speaks directly about the problem that atheist and theist alike do not address in themselves. It is not just the ego but also the pride. God is revealed to the individual by divine revelation. God will give grace to the humble but oppose the proud. It's not hard. If you can take direction from a science book about scientific methods for demonstrations and experiments then you can logically do the same from a spiritual book regarding demonstrations of a spiritual matter. Your pride and ego stand in the way of the revelation. Atheist love to tout "logic" yet cannot come to such a simple conclusion base on the same principle. It is a willful ignorance, a prideful rejection. Like a child covering their eyes and ears refusing to admit it's their turn to wash the dishes.

[kauihill]

So.... Tyson's basically agreed with Craig that there isn't really any reason for our existence. The 'who am I' and 'where am I going' question is answered by: you are a bunch of molecules that is part of a very big universe.

[doobysnacks]

"If whatever we find is resonates with whoever, go ahead! Take it!" -Neil Tyson
Mental giant, right there. lol

[toahordika]

I agree with both Craig and Tyson. Their ideas can go together and aren't opposed.

[JubalBed]

I believe Bill Craig and Neil deGrasse Tyson would get along really well. I really want to see a dialogue between them.

[fanghur]

“Mortal lives are not stones. They are not seas. For impermanence to judge itself by the standards of permanence is folly. Or it is arrogance. Life merely is what it is, neither more nor less. To deem it less because it is not more is to heed the counsels of the Despiser.” -Stephen R. Donaldson, The Last Dark