A note on open-mindedness

pts

I've been waiting for a good occasion to post this video I came across about open-mindedness. However since such an occasion hasn't presented itself I'll just create a new thread for it.
Hopefully it hasn't been posted before. I think it's a very solid video and it puts forward some very good arguments in regards to the scientific method, believing in the supernational, the emphasis on producing evidence etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI

EDIT:
This video is in a similar vein. You might like it too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAIpRRZvnJg

Galvasean

That first video as excellent. If only I had it when my (now ex) girlfrirnd accused me of being closed-minded and cynical.
Actually did anyone notice Richard Gere shows up towards the end of the second vid?

Goduznt Xzst

I think his point (in the first video) is one I use a lot. That in most other areas of an individuals life they are normally skeptical (as illustrated by the woman with the magic medicine) but in so far as a person religious beliefs they have trained themselves to not be skeptical. I guess this "you're not open minded enough" is a defense mechanism. Whenever posed with this statement I usually respond with "are you open minded enough to accept that you might be wrong?"

JimiTime

1st video was good, though I'm not sure if I've ever heard the 'you are not open-minded enough' arguement myself.. Second one was a good insight into the destruction that unwise parents can do.

Rev Hellfire

The first one bored me, but I liked the second one.

The problem for me is that these sort of videoes is they always use the arguments of a minority to tarnish the views of the majority.
And that goes on both sides.

pts

JimiTime wrote: »

Second one was a good insight into the destruction that unwise parents can do.

I think you're right. I haven't got children myself, but think a good parenting philosophy would be teaching children how to evaluate instruction manuals.

Goduznt Xzst

Rev Hellfire wrote: »

arguments of a minority to tarnish the views of the majority.

If you look at the catalog of videos that this person has made he is tackling a lot of the different arguments and positions an Atheist might be faced with from a Theist. In no way did he indicate that this method of argument was being used by a "majority" of religious people.

Rev Hellfire

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

If you look at the catalog of videos that this person has made he is tackling a lot of the different arguments and positions an Atheist might be faced with from a Theist. In no way did he indicate that this method of argument was being used by a "majority" of religious people.

I wasn't referring to those videos in particular, but the plethora of videos by both theists and atheists illustrating the absurdity of the opposing views.
Sorry if I didn't make it clear, it was more of throw away comment.

gaynorvader

Rev Hellfire wrote: »

[...]

The problem for me is that these sort of videoes is they always use the arguments of a minority to tarnish the views of the majority.
And that goes on both sides.

That is how Christianity made it to become a leading world religion!

Phototoxin

surely it's not open minded if you consider science to be the only way forward though?

MatthewVII

Phototoxin wrote: »

surely it's not open minded if you consider science to be the only way forward though?

I think one of the points of the video is that to be open-minded you have to be scientific, ie you have to analyse everything before you accept it or else you're being close-minded to its non-existence. Science isn't just belief in what we can observe, it's a methodical way of deciding whether information is valuable or useless.

gaynorvader

Phototoxin wrote: »

surely it's not open minded if you consider science to be the only way forward though?

He didn't say science was the only way forward, he said it was the best way. Of course, if you were to adhere to the scientific method and someone presented you with a better way forward, you'd change, unless you were a hypocrite.