'Setting Prometheus Free': A Lecture by A C Grayling

'Setting Prometheus Free'. A lecure given by Prof. A C Graying, on behalf of Atheist Ireland, in Dublin, November 2011.

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Join Atheist Ireland. Atheist Ireland is voluntary organisation. We promote atheism, reason, ethical secularism, the rights of atheists and the separation of church and state

Donate to Atheist Ireland. We receive no State funding and employ no paid staff. We rely entirely on membership fees and donations to continue.

Subscribe here to Secular Sunday, our free weekly email newsletter. Keep up to date with our activities and with secular news around the world.

[mljungberg]

I find it an absolute joy listening to Grayling. He's a gentle, kind, intellectual and witty man. How anyone can be bored by his talks is beyond me.

[dazhatz]

Mr grayling is a fantastic public speaker, engaging and humorous .. i love his lectures.

[friednoodlesz]

Much credit for the work of AtheistIreland! I spent a year in Ireland last year, and it struck me a society with a strong need for the secularist voice you provide.

[rhondah]

As always, it is wonderful to hear the words of AC Grayling. Thanks for sharing.

[SpookyFan]

Interesting talk. Thanks to Mr. Gralyling for attending, and to Atheist Ireland for hosting and uploading.

[TheLeseMaxwell]

I love the thought of atheism and enlightenment going together.Which is awesome. Where as theism is automatically considered enlightened and a virtue. I think that it is encouraging to see a modicum of logic and understanding instead of a lashing out. Which some enlightened and virtuous individuals are prone to do.

[JosephStern]

A very fine talk, as usual, from Professor Grayling. Thanks for the upload.

[smartesttermite]

He says "for people who have a proper concept of what life is about would hold."

[TheRealKBJ]

Excellent talk - I just put in my order for Grayling's book.

[RedHotRushes]

He inspires me, my favourite 'famous' athiest.

[TheAikenHead]

I'm happy you finally figured it. Regards.

[jomc]

There have also been plenty of debates between believers and non-believers and to have people such as Prof Grayling informing atheists gives atheists ammunition to use when arguing with theists.

[EmperorsNewWardrobe]

40:48 "The mark of accepting an empirical proof IS being rational. That is, think about the first part of the word 'ratio' - means proportion - if you're rational you've proprotioned your claim or your conclusion to the evidence available to you"

[Bozpot]

"Oh, naughty sapling!" LOL
Lovely lecture.

[oecologica]

Praise the Lord. He is my strength and salvation. I couldn't even breathe without Him!

[kayvee]

Those only excited by sledgehammers yawn at scalpels.

This says more about the yawner than the sharpness of the scalpel.

^_^

[nna]

This is prof. Dumbldore in our real life!

[JosephNordenbrockartistraction]

I think religion began from camp fire stories that helped us intelligent primates invent new words. People are usually good actors by adulthood and you can't always tell if you're not talking closet atheist. You won't find an atheist holding a sign saying " No worries..TONS OF TIME !!"  :)

[cameronyu]

I don't think it's unfair to challenge religious ideas at all. In any other topics in life whether it's politics, sports, food, or what have you people are all about challenging each others ideas. For whatever reason when it comes to religion it's taboo to criticize it. It should be fair game as well since it makes large claims for itself. I think it would be a disservice not to challenge religious ideas.

[Flyborg]

There are different arguments. One of the common arguments is that you can't be good without BELIEF in a god. This is an argument of consequences, not truth. He was addressing this argument by pointing out that atheists can be moral too.

ANOTHER argument is that morality can't exist unless a magical man exists. This argument is wrong for various OTHER reasons - not the least of which because it's asserted without evidence or justification, and it doesn't make any sense.