God is not a Good Theory (Sean Carroll)

Lecture from the 2nd mini-series (Is "God" Explanatory) from the "Philosophy of Cosmology" project. A University of Oxford and Cambridge Collaboration.

[theserpentshallwin]

if you focus on studying one religion, you'll be hooked for life. But if you study two, you'll be done in an hour.

[samlikely]

Native Americans have a saying
if dogs and horses could draw their gods
their gods would look like dogs and horses

[psibert]

There are three levels of belief in a God.

1. A God created the universe.
2. A God which is omnipotent and omniscient created the universe
3. A God which is omnipotent and omniscient and loves me created the universe.
4. A God which is omnipotent and omniscient and loves me created the universe in six earth days.

The ONLY one which cannot be rejected out of hand is number one.

Omnipotence and omniscience are mutually exclusive.

Number one is, as Sean Carroll says, not a good theory/hypothesis.

[mikewiz]

Sean Carroll will blow your mind…especially if you have a basic understanding of physics. He recently sat down with Neil DeGrasse Tyson and it was incredible. So much more interesting than…because god did it.

[katmando]

I am surprised that many of these commenters bothered to listen to this lecture. It’s obvious that they don’t understand or maybe don’t want to understand the information presented. The ones I am referring to are not interested in entertaining any ideas that disprove the fairy tales and factually incorrect information that they find in their “Bronze Age goat herder’s guide to the universe”. It’s like the last approximately 1800 years of human advances never happened and I say approximately1800 years because the “Bronze Age goat herder’s guide to the universe” wasn’t even written until approximately 200 years after the events in the new version were supposed to have happened. I know all the equivocations about the little fragments of words, sentences, and papers that they use trying to give the impression that their imaginary driver of the universe got religion between the old and new versions of their “Bronze Age goat herder’s guide to the universe”

[tims.]

Hit the nail on the head at ~14:00. We might PREFER to have a “why, ” but it could be that the universe just IS.

[johnk]

I am a new student of Sean Carroll, just found him and can't wait to see what I learn. Love how he is a very fluid speaker, does not himm or haww.... knows what he is talking about and very vigorous.

[pimpbisquick]

This is rather as if you imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, 'This is an interesting world I find myself in — an interesting hole I find myself in — fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!' This is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, frantically hanging on to the notion that everything's going to be alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise. I think this may be something we need to be on the watch out for.
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[Roedygr]

This is probably the best '"debate" you will ever see on the existence of god. Carroll argues both sides well and fairly.

[albertjackson]

Lets see here, the god that humans created is supposed to be omnipotent & omniscient, BUT HE NEEDS YOUR MONEY ! I say holy crap !

[bretta]

If God exists, why did he make me an atheist? If God is all knowing, all seeing, omnipotent and has a plan for all of us and we are not to know God's plan, then why do people pray to God for his favor, or to change something for them?

[rizeorfall]

Religion is just man’s need to understand and control things but what we fail to realize is that we are ultimately ignorant.

[MrBendybruce]

It's amazing how God loves Baseball if you live in America

[davidlook]

"A wise man knows he knows nothing" -Socrates

[ryandelaune]

Opening argument is terrible. Where did the particle come from? Your mind? So you created it, making you the God of that mind universe. Not a hard argument to find holes in

[javiercuevas]

So many geniuses in this comment section, who have the nerve to criticize Sean Caroll. They would never be able to put a lecture together that is this thoughtful, they just go " sEAn CArrOLL hAs nO idEA wHaT hE tALK aBoUT cUZ I knOW GOD eXIsT"

[DeadpoolCore]

So many people who are leading experts in theology and physics in the comment section. How have we not heard of your wisdom before.

[XxxcloackndaggerxxX]

What a brilliant talk about a much needed explanation for or against god in our lives from a person who knows man made rules and laws and scientific rules and laws. This has helped me better understand pure logical theories and draw my own conclusions to our existence!

[kennyw]

I don't have an issue with religions until they "Christians" try to prohibit subjects being taught in public schools. I don't have a problem with religions until they directly interfer with government. I don't have a problem with "Christians" until they try to interfer with my life. As you can see, I have many reasons to have problems with religion.

[rsavage]

The older I get the more certain I am: we are aware and we are alone.
So be kind to each other.
We’re all we’ve got.