As a christian who also believes in science and conflict with myself all the time. I agree with Adam. I appreciate his views because i also take them. The line between my religious belief and believing in full on science is strictly based on faith and how i choose to perceive what cant be explained. I understand that not everyone believes the same way i do or even at all and i respect your views on it. This is the most well spoken stance a non believer could ever take its not only classy but very respectful to others. Good on you Adam!
Firepants20 I agree. Cocaine, butt plugs, Australian brothels, DMT, Kentucky Bourbon, and weed pancakes. Life is much better having tasted all of these things : )
SpaceManDawn I'm interested int hese "Australian Brothels" are they known to.... (looks around and whispers) go.. down.. under? I am very proud of myself for this dont take it away from me lol.
You guys kept me here for a full 30 minutes. Amazing... These are the types of conversations I'd usually engage in with family and/or friends, late at night, usually spurred on by a mundane question. It still happens at every get together, but those days are seemingly far and few now. The importance of invoking and teaching elasticity of thought is often overlooked.
PROPS - Tackling charged issues are hard and you guys did a awesome job. I have been a tested listener for a year and this is the first one which spoke to me. The idea of respecting and loving those people who have different beliefs is one which is close to me and I am glad this idea had some airtime. Keep it up.
I love you, Adam. Abandoning the terms "skeptic" and "atheist" because of their varying negative connotations is brilliant and I may have to follow your lead on this
I applaud Adam for his belief and explanation of the situation. Everyone is allowed to believe what they want to believe. No one should have to conform to anyone else's belief system. Free yourself from the constructs of group-think, and question everything until you are personally happy with the answers.
I applaud you Adam. You talked about your opinion and are sticking with it despite all the hate people who can't get over themselves on the internet are going to give you. Also love this podcast....literally the only one I listen to.
Believing in ghosts is bad, because it is like a foothold for bullshit in your mind. If you believe in one thing despite it being totally unproven by science, why not another? From ghosts it is only a small step to religion and religion only brings bad things. "Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." - Steven Weinberg -
Uhh... No? That's a really bad quote. Good do good and evil do evil, but only if you introduce religion do good people ever do evil things? So, a good person's would never shoot someone, or have dark thoughts, or find themselves in a postion where they have to do something foul beyond their control? I don't think soldiers who see or cause casualties they're responsible for blame god or religion. If religion weren't a thing we'd still have wars, we'd still have crime, we'd still have cruelty, only people wouldn't have religion to blame it on. An overwhelming belief that religion causes all problems in the world is just as ignorant as saying that all science is fake. It's just stupid and something I really hate about the skeptical community these days. Personally, I don't believe in god all that much myself, but I feel it's important to have faith in SOMETHING. It doesn't have to be religion either. Whatever gives your life purpose or meaning then you should have faith in it. And just because you don't find comfort in religion doesn't mean others don't, and I'm sure you feel just as angry or hurt when someone spits in the face of what you believe, so it's no different really. We're all looking for answers to questions that probably don't have any answers, and never will. Now here's a quote for you, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." What's that got to do with religion? A gun is a thing, an object, with no force or power of it's own, like an idea, like religion. Religion doesn't make anyone do anything, just like a gun doesn't make you shoot someone. If you take an idea like religion, or even science for that matter, and use it to hurt people or exploit them for your own gain, then you're just a shitty person.
666Tomato666 How is that any different from the religious people who claim you need religion to have a moral compass? Religion isn't inherently evil, it just gives horrible people a platform to do horrible things.
I know Adam doesn't read comments but I 100% agree with everything said in this. I had always believed in religion or other things as a kid, but I was forced into it like most people are. Growing up however I began forming my own opinions based off observations and things I noticed. I also believed in ghosts, but the simple fact I did was because i took all the EMF readings and cold spot theories as fact. Which was my mistake, after this podcast and lengthy explanation of everything by Adam and jumps in from Will, I now can see what it really is. Just to clarify, I don't have anything against anyone that believes in anything. To each their own, and if you firmly believe in something I have no right to judge or lead you to believe it doesn't exist. In all, great episode, and job well done to you three.
Nice zojirushi. I have the same one in the same color and love it. I was using mine when you fliped open yours. I dont ever see them where I am living now.
So many brilliant people like Adam and Neil deGrasse Tyson shy away from using simple and correct term like Atheist. And now Adam, which is always a star on the Skeptic community, say he won even call himself that anymore. Why do we must all bow down to the lowest common denominator? You guys say you do that because you don't want to be confused with an almost nonexistent stereotype, but when you do this you in fact abandon the community and leave us do be called that, a word that now has more negative connotation because you made a public act of renouncing it. We should embrace these terms, if for no other reason than because they are semantically correct.
We don't, we don't have to bow down to the lowest common denominator :) And just like Adam said "different people put different things into the word atheist", and in the land of the US of A the word atheist is negatively charged. And seeing as both Neil and Adam are celebrities; they maybe want to shy away from that word and rather call themselfs skeptics. I don't know! But hey, Adam is out there, he even did a speech at the Reason Rally.
***** I didn't imply that you should either. The reason why the word "atheist" is so negative in the US has to do with a lot of things, but at the end of the day there's no good reason for it to be a negative word. It's dumb, it's silly and i hope the US can grow up and become a real secular country one day.
well he and Neil wouldn't turn down speaking at the next reason rally ......or some skeptic conference ........he is just saying that it is annoying when people r pissed when they hear that label ......and it won't be long before people r pissed at the label critical thinker :P
***** forth comment down it says " This week's edition of Still Untitled is live. Enjoy! " of course 15 milliseconds after i posted that, i realised what it meant, sorry my bad.
Nice conversation, NEVER be afraid to upset people who believe in something that you don't. We already live in a world where we cant upset people because of what or who they believe (and look what happens when we do upset them). My opinion is just as valid as anyone else's, and I choose not to respect what you believe in, if you find that offensive, then well.... that's really isn't my problem is it? On a lighter note, awesome channel plus a no bulls-hit attitude makes a refreshing change to all the media whores that we seem to be in-undated with. Keep it up guys.
lol, this entry in Still Untitled wasn't on the playlist so when i found it and read the title, i thought it was going to be some more about Adam's cooking which i love to hear about because that's all i hear "potpourri" used for, but still a great episode nonetheless.
Love the idea of people with differing beliefs can still be civil and have positive relationships. I personal don't agree with everything you believe but we can still be friends. Our world be be a better place.
Belief is always a tricky thing. I think we should all just agree that our minds are all unique, and might come to different conclusions even with the same pool of information. Unfortunately, many people expect hegemony and often get offended or angry when confronted with a different world view.
Better than usual outing and I enjoy the show to begin with. What's unhappy about discussing 'believing in ghosts' is that one has to be careful about people's feelings about the matter. Exactly because a belief system that encompasses ghosts, encompasses magic, witches, hexes, action at a distance (not the entwined kind, but if that's not magic, I don't know what is...), voodoo and the biggie: religion. Which takes in all of the previous. Stamp on ghosts and you're staring into religion. Strange world we live in, no?
As an avid Ghost Adventures enthusiast, I watch the show knowing that the vast majority of the phenomena they catch is explainable; a feeling, a cold draft, etc. However, for all that there is that 1 percent that makes you go, " Hmm. " However small that percent maybe it still makes you wonder about what is out there, and that is the magic of ghost adventures and believing in ghosts / an afterlife / a higher plain / whatever you want to call it.
Way for Adam to take on the Ghost exploitative business. Couldn't agree more with his take on it. We believe in the law of physics and empirical obeservations here on Tested!
To those who want scientists to be more "open-minded" towards the paranormal, Tim Minchin said it so well: "If you open your mind too much, your brain will fall out".
Has Adam ever talked about his Star Trek seat.. it seems like he has the captains chair in the back next to the cabinets.. right? Is that a prop , replica.. whats the story.. must know!! BTW loved the podcast this week :)
The one problem with Adam's discussion is that if ghosts do exist, we don't know how to find ghosts or bigfoot or whatever mythical creature you look for. So, why get on them about what equipment they use? You have to try somethings to find a result. If you can get audial files, then you know recorders may work. If there is no scientific data...how do you propose they go about getting it without trying what they have heard works? Were the people looking for the mythical Mountain Gorilla nuts for looking for them because they were rumored to exist? Was Christopher Columbus nuts for crossing the ocean when the world was believed to be flat? I find your disdain for these type of researchers a little shocking because if you don't research the rumors, you may never find the truth.
I had a friend that did that constant fiddling with his nose and didn't turn out well when his problem went to court. I hope he doesn't end up with health or legal issues.
What I got about that Twitter discussion: 1) Adam and I share a surprising number of beliefs. 2) I missed Mythbusters! Dammit! (Update: Ha! I was able to find it on the On Demand channel.)
It always amazes me that so many of Tested's TH-cam and twitter followers are so strongly opposed to Adam, Will and Norm's points of view. I tend to pick my subscriptions based on like mindedness.
One of the reasons that ghost hunting is not based in science is that no scientific mathematical prediction has been made for ghost phenomena. Ghost hunters tend to work backward in their investigation. They say that a ghost can be detected by an EMF meter or cold spot detection or whatever, but they have no mathematical evidence that says these methods work at all. People tend to ignore the fact that science is as much about creating predictions of potentially observable conditions as it is explaining observed conditions.
Mr Savage i am sorry for the rude comments people have made about your option and i agree with you and your point of view. p.s. If people don't want to here your option they should not reed it.
Do I believe is ghosts? I think Douglas Adams has the best answer when he describes the WSOGMM. No matter how you slice the universe something is there.
The problem with having someone who doesn't believe in ghosts go on a ghost hunt is that most of the people with ANY interest in ghost hunting are either believers or the jerk kind of skeptics.
as someone who runs a paranormal investigation blog as a hobby, yet totally doesn't believe this stuff, I can say that even if you don't believe this stuff it can still be entertaining, its like a form of living fiction
There's a big difference between being dismissive of an "idea" and being dismissive of "people who hold a certain idea". I can personally be dismissive of religious beliefs and still critizise someone like Dawkins for often being very rude towards people (!), not just ideas.
If a ghost hunter has a theory that ghosts exist and they affect the magnetic field in measurable ways and they go out and test these theory, regardless of the subject isn’t that good science?
RecklessRobbie In this simple fashion no because there are too many possibilities for biases. Better would be testing using someone who doesn't knows about the hypothesis tested there, testing in environment with and without alleged ghosts (establishing what the norm even is), controlling for non-supernatural factors that might affect the reading, look at *all* data gathered (you won't believe how often people fall into the sharpshooter fallacy)…
Where is the control for this "experiment"? I think that the ghost investigations are very entertaining and pertinent to my interests, but I also couldn't call then hard evidence.
When I discuss science or civil liberties I often encounter theistic zealots proselytizing to me. When I discuss faith or the spiritual I often encounter atheistic zealots proselytizing to me. All the zealots are equally annoying.
I'm sorry that Adam doesn't read these comments, because I have something to say about his thought that the attempt to use equipment that relates to known physical phenomena is misguided in attempting to find ghosts... Basically, you're right. It hasn't been proven that the equipment can detect anything. But the fact is, it has to be tested in the first place. And in order to do that, you have to find a phenomenon that is repeatable, and you might as well use the equipment in the first place to see if it could be observed even once using any of that equipment. Yes, it's true that we haven't observed anything to determine if it can be detected with anything we can detect it with. But trying to say that it's unscientific to use scientific tools in attempting to quantify (to the best of science's ability) whether it can be detected or observed in the first place? That's like saying that any investigators need to use dowsing rods or a psychic to locate a phenomenon, which might not be repeated (since everyone seems to assume that hauntings/poltergeists/whatever must be repeatable on demand, which is not necessarily a safe assumption). I understand that you're saying there's no evidence that it can be found with scientific equipment -- but what are you suggesting instead, that they try to invent the Ghostbusters Psycho-Kinetic Energy Meter (PKE Meter) without having a certainty as to how to go about it? If they find a phenomenon that they can agree happened, and the equipment doesn't show it, then that suggests that current technology cannot find it. Great! That's science, is it not? A boundary that we cannot perceive! Something new to explore! But if they can see something with the scientific equipment, but it's apparently incomplete, then that's even better in the economic climate humanity has created -- because it would provide potentially grant-worthy evidence that there's a boundary that we haven't yet explored. I am more a Mythbusters guy than a Ghost Adventures guy, please don't get me wrong. I'm just saying, please stop and consider just what you're saying when you suggest that it's not a worthwhile endeavor to go about anything like what the Ghost Adventures crew is doing. Where the Mythbusters crew seems to want to rely on already-existing science to do its thing... as you've pointed out, the Ghost Adventures crew is trying to do something for which no science has yet been created. Please don't try to say that they're unworthy just because there is no already-existing peer-reviewed scientific literature. (They may come up with nothing... but if they do, at least they're going about it the right way.) If you read this, thanks for your time.
Adam says he uses "critical thinker" to avoid all the emotional ties with some very strong words such as atheist. No one, I mean NO ONE has EVER taken into consideration that I'm an atheist and don't like to be proselytized to. So I'm happy to return the favor in polite but direct words, "no thank you, I'm atheist". This upsets some folks but these folks don't seem to care about my feelings. So, I will continue to be polite and direct with no consideration to the attached feelings or emotions to this word of atheist. Now, here is the mind bender. I like the idea of taking one day off and doing NOTHING. Maybe going to a group of like minded people to talk and socialize and maybe enjoy a speaker and music. Hmmmm. Sounds like Sunday doesn't it. Well, the intent is different but the action is similar. Socializing with friends and neighbors is a good thing. I have no bad feeling about the building on the corner where folks gather one or more days a week. That I think is a good thing. The organization that some of the those buildings have hidden behind them, I have no use for. Well, best of luck folks. I think Adam has to be a little more PC than I due to his public notoriety. Just some thoughts.
Nobody can say Adam is correct/wrong in his views, in the same way he can't and doesn't say you are wrong. Each to their own, I say and from this chat that is the opinion expressed here too
Adam, You can't go through life without pissing someone off. We all have viewpoints and opinions that someone will not like for some reason. Not having an viewpoint or opinion will piss someone off. Don't worry about it.
While i don't share all of the same beliefs with Adam, i never once would think he was being a troll about them. the comment about how he's a cyberbully for the comment particularly has me scratching my head at the absurdity of it all.
We have those Ghost shows being filmed up here in Canada. One night, my friend (loves extreme biking) when mountain biking through some woods and stumbled upon them filming in a "haunted forest". So yeah, I don't have much faith in these ghost shows. There's so many of them around the world and yet they still can't find hard evidence.
If ghosts are people who died a violent death and come back to haunt survivors and eat up their souls, I think they exist. If mythbusters had one less lucky escape, they could be haunted by past ghosts too.
I wish that people would remember that everyone is allowed to have their own beliefs. You get very strong opinions from one side or the other which is great but that doesn't give anyone the right to insult or belittle another person for what they believe in. I share the same opinions as Adam and I may not agree with the other but I refuse to ridicule someone for what they believe and I wish others would do the same.
I don't comment on things much, but I wanted to say that I agree with Adam. Don't use sudo-science to confuse people. These ghost shows are trolling humanity.
i enjoyed this podcast. it pushed a bit deeper into the subject of personal beliefs. dont get me wrong....crash a star destroyer into a deathstar made of legos and you have my attention. but this was good.
Having an opinion is like having a penis. It's nice to have one, but I'd rather you didn't wave it in my face. I like Adam's outlook on life, he doesn't gent bent out of shape when people disagree with his opinion, but is passionate about discussing the things he does believe in when invited to.
I am the person who ASKED HIM (on Thursday, Adam!) what to watch! /pouts/ No shout outs? /overly melodramatic/ I AM NEVER WATCHING YOUR SHOW AGAIN! /end melodramatic tone/ LMAO!
In regard to an afterlife consider Pascals wager my friends. If one believes in God and He exists there is infinite gain, if not nothing is lost. If one doesn't believe in God and he exists there is infinite loss, if he doesn't exist, once again nothing is lost.
Why after all the years of experiencing science prove the impossible is possible do we still say things are impossible? numerous scientists said heavier than air travel was impossible and yet here we are with massively heavier than air vehicles... So why are we still close minded about things? anything and everything!? because we have beliefs, and what would we do if our beliefs where challenged by science? harder yet would you try to prove your beliefs wrong scientifically?
I'm tempted to be a cynic and say "Adam, it's your own fault for publicly stating an opinion." But I can't. That would be fucked up. But when did we become a society where having beliefs or not believing allowed people to jump down your throat when they disagree? Internet trolls, angry pundits, skeptics, enough already! Why can't some people accept that someone else disagrees with them? Life is not an argument you have to win at all costs. Always being "right' is wrong and close-minded. Can't we just agree to disagree for once?
I think the key to being a skeptic is to remain skeptical of yourself and constantly question your own beliefs. Otherwise, you simply build yourself a new religion with yourself in the role of God. I think Penn and Teller do this quite a bit in their Bullshit show. They do just enough research to confirm their pre-existing beliefs and often fail to even consider evidence that conflicts with their position. It ends up just being yet another rigid ideology devoid of real skepticism or critical thinking. Maintaining personal skepticism is hard, but I think it is very much worth it. Even if we are all bound to fail at it from time to time.
seems like a lot of people came to believe in ghosts from watching some show. Please please take such shows with a handful of salt. They are there to grab your interest and make money.
Well I gotta admit I have my own beliefs I have my own way of life. I'd be insulted if someone used certain words to describe it, either that or absolutes with out framing it as: I believe. I will always accept your beliefs as valid and worth while input, but remember that as men and women of science we need to question even what seems to be absolutely true. This is where we learn. I do believe in a God, but I'm also a big defender of evolution just one that was planned by a divine being. Do I wish I knew more people in scientific fields that have a strong religious faith? yes because they often think in a very different way. I'd mainly point to medical research where they use different methods in some cases to not conflict with religious beliefs so then there's even more exploration of possible medicine/medical advances. EDIT: and I'd pose the same point to the religious to never assume everything is because of religion. The hurricane katrina was not the wrath of god. The war in the middle east is being claimed religious so the extremists feel they can kill whomever they see fit. That's where religion has turned into something very dark and horrible. Even the crusades a black spot on my peoples history is something we need to make up for to this very day, because there was no excuse to claim religion gives us the right to massacre.
OK, I've not seen 'Ghost Adventures' but in the UK we had a similar sounding TV program called 'Most Haunted' where a presenter, a medium etc, visited 'haunted' historic locations, walked around in the dark filming in IR, and scared the crap out of each other. Of course, the 'medium' was full of horse puckey, ... he was fed some information, which was made up, but acted out a possession by the fake character. It's detailed on the Wikipedia page for the medium 'Derek Acorah' ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Acorah ) Therefore I think everyone involved knows it's made for TV bullshit. I don't think there's an ounce of sincerity in it, and I despair for the fools who lap it up. I'm also a bit disappointed in Adam running away from the label 'atheist'. If people try to hang baggage on that term, tell them not to, correct them, don't give ground and use another label, because they'll come after that too, and it will just make atheists look shifty.
As a christian who also believes in science and conflict with myself all the time. I agree with Adam. I appreciate his views because i also take them. The line between my religious belief and believing in full on science is strictly based on faith and how i choose to perceive what cant be explained. I understand that not everyone believes the same way i do or even at all and i respect your views on it. This is the most well spoken stance a non believer could ever take its not only classy but very respectful to others. Good on you Adam!
An open mind to all things is the best way to go about life.
Firepants20 I agree!
Firepants20
I agree. Cocaine, butt plugs, Australian brothels, DMT, Kentucky Bourbon, and weed pancakes.
Life is much better having tasted all of these things : )
SpaceManDawn I'm interested int hese "Australian Brothels" are they known to.... (looks around and whispers) go.. down.. under?
I am very proud of myself for this dont take it away from me lol.
***** No man! That was a good one! You owned it : )
You guys kept me here for a full 30 minutes. Amazing... These are the types of conversations I'd usually engage in with family and/or friends, late at night, usually spurred on by a mundane question. It still happens at every get together, but those days are seemingly far and few now.
The importance of invoking and teaching elasticity of thought is often overlooked.
PROPS - Tackling charged issues are hard and you guys did a awesome job. I have been a tested listener for a year and this is the first one which spoke to me. The idea of respecting and loving those people who have different beliefs is one which is close to me and I am glad this idea had some airtime. Keep it up.
I love you, Adam. Abandoning the terms "skeptic" and "atheist" because of their varying negative connotations is brilliant and I may have to follow your lead on this
I applaud Adam for his belief and explanation of the situation. Everyone is allowed to believe what they want to believe. No one should have to conform to anyone else's belief system. Free yourself from the constructs of group-think, and question everything until you are personally happy with the answers.
I applaud you Adam. You talked about your opinion and are sticking with it despite all the hate people who can't get over themselves on the internet are going to give you. Also love this podcast....literally the only one I listen to.
Hey guys, when are we getting the part 2 of Adam answers?
Believing in ghosts is bad, because it is like a foothold for bullshit in your mind. If you believe in one thing despite it being totally unproven by science, why not another? From ghosts it is only a small step to religion and religion only brings bad things.
"Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion."
- Steven Weinberg -
Amen
Uhh... No? That's a really bad quote. Good do good and evil do evil, but only if you introduce religion do good people ever do evil things? So, a good person's would never shoot someone, or have dark thoughts, or find themselves in a postion where they have to do something foul beyond their control? I don't think soldiers who see or cause casualties they're responsible for blame god or religion. If religion weren't a thing we'd still have wars, we'd still have crime, we'd still have cruelty, only people wouldn't have religion to blame it on. An overwhelming belief that religion causes all problems in the world is just as ignorant as saying that all science is fake. It's just stupid and something I really hate about the skeptical community these days.
Personally, I don't believe in god all that much myself, but I feel it's important to have faith in SOMETHING. It doesn't have to be religion either. Whatever gives your life purpose or meaning then you should have faith in it. And just because you don't find comfort in religion doesn't mean others don't, and I'm sure you feel just as angry or hurt when someone spits in the face of what you believe, so it's no different really. We're all looking for answers to questions that probably don't have any answers, and never will.
Now here's a quote for you, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." What's that got to do with religion? A gun is a thing, an object, with no force or power of it's own, like an idea, like religion. Religion doesn't make anyone do anything, just like a gun doesn't make you shoot someone. If you take an idea like religion, or even science for that matter, and use it to hurt people or exploit them for your own gain, then you're just a shitty person.
Ramen!
If it could have that effect on good people, doesn't it also stand to reason that only for religion do bad people do good things?
666Tomato666 How is that any different from the religious people who claim you need religion to have a moral compass? Religion isn't inherently evil, it just gives horrible people a platform to do horrible things.
I know Adam doesn't read comments but I 100% agree with everything said in this. I had always believed in religion or other things as a kid, but I was forced into it like most people are. Growing up however I began forming my own opinions based off observations and things I noticed. I also believed in ghosts, but the simple fact I did was because i took all the EMF readings and cold spot theories as fact. Which was my mistake, after this podcast and lengthy explanation of everything by Adam and jumps in from Will, I now can see what it really is. Just to clarify, I don't have anything against anyone that believes in anything. To each their own, and if you firmly believe in something I have no right to judge or lead you to believe it doesn't exist.
In all, great episode, and job well done to you three.
I swear there is a square space ad at the start of every single on of my podcasts now
Lol. I watch both shows and thoroughly enjoy both. I would to see a cross-over and that would be awesome!
Nice cast! I stopped watching trailers and teasers entirely so i really liked you guys didn't make a spoilercast this time :)
The last episode of Mythbusters was awesome. The whip stuff was really cool.
Nice zojirushi. I have the same one in the same color and love it. I was using mine when you fliped open yours. I dont ever see them where I am living now.
Sometimes I regret enjoying your content so much when trying to relax leads to an existential crisis of a teenager afraid of death.
So many brilliant people like Adam and Neil deGrasse Tyson shy away from using simple and correct term like Atheist. And now Adam, which is always a star on the Skeptic community, say he won even call himself that anymore. Why do we must all bow down to the lowest common denominator? You guys say you do that because you don't want to be confused with an almost nonexistent stereotype, but when you do this you in fact abandon the community and leave us do be called that, a word that now has more negative connotation because you made a public act of renouncing it. We should embrace these terms, if for no other reason than because they are semantically correct.
Very true. Its so sad that intelligent people like Adam are bullied into an apology by idiots who believe in Ghosts.
The problem is with atheists who behave like human shit, they make other atheists shy away from the term because people will use broad strokes.
We don't, we don't have to bow down to the lowest common denominator :)
And just like Adam said "different people put different things into the word atheist", and in the land of the US of A the word atheist is negatively charged. And seeing as both Neil and Adam are celebrities; they maybe want to shy away from that word and rather call themselfs skeptics. I don't know! But hey, Adam is out there, he even did a speech at the Reason Rally.
***** I didn't imply that you should either. The reason why the word "atheist" is so negative in the US has to do with a lot of things, but at the end of the day there's no good reason for it to be a negative word. It's dumb, it's silly and i hope the US can grow up and become a real secular country one day.
well he and Neil wouldn't turn down speaking at the next reason rally ......or some skeptic conference ........he is just saying that it is annoying when people r pissed when they hear that label ......and it won't be long before people r pissed at the label critical thinker :P
yay! now I have time to listen !
Same clothing, same dust on Adam's t-shirt, same coffee cup - same day recording as the last one?
yes, problem?
Sackaramtwo so why say its live?
*****
forth comment down it says "
This week's edition of Still Untitled is live. Enjoy! "
of course 15 milliseconds after i posted that, i realised what it meant, sorry my bad.
aly nicholls You owned your own mistake, you're all clear!
And what about R2's head?
Talking room with Penn and Teller?
Nice conversation, NEVER be afraid to upset people who believe in something that you don't. We already live in a world where we cant upset people because of what or who they believe (and look what happens when we do upset them). My opinion is just as valid as anyone else's, and I choose not to respect what you believe in, if you find that offensive, then well.... that's really isn't my problem is it?
On a lighter note, awesome channel plus a no bulls-hit attitude makes a refreshing change to all the media whores that we seem to be in-undated with. Keep it up guys.
lol, this entry in Still Untitled wasn't on the playlist so when i found it and read the title, i thought it was going to be some more about Adam's cooking which i love to hear about because that's all i hear "potpourri" used for, but still a great episode nonetheless.
Why is Adam's shirt all dusty?
xMissyChrissyx they filmed this in his workshop, so he was probably building or cleaning before they filmed.
What happened to R2D2's head??
Will's breathing drove me as crazy as a ghost adventurer this episode!
As a future ghost myself, I find Adam's opinion vitriolic and dimensionist!
Love the idea of people with differing beliefs can still be civil and have positive relationships. I personal don't agree with everything you believe but we can still be friends. Our world be be a better place.
Just saying hello for the first time. And thank you for the entertainment.
I would like to see Adam, Norm and Will build something in lego :D !
Norm is so underrated!!! He really should write a screenplay...i have a feeling he has some neat ideas ....
Shake it off, Adam. New season of Mythbusters is turning out great.
Do I see a Mythbusters episode debunking ghosts?
"Come on over to Tested, the water's nice and warm! (You don't want to know why.)"
Belief is always a tricky thing. I think we should all just agree that our minds are all unique, and might come to different conclusions even with the same pool of information. Unfortunately, many people expect hegemony and often get offended or angry when confronted with a different world view.
I'm with Adam 100% he totally nailed his points :)
What happened to R2-D2's head!?
What happened to R2's head??
This is the high point of my TH-cam week.
Sad Davis Reese's show did not get renewed!
It pleases me that Adam showed up to this episode covered in sawdust. :)
Better than usual outing and I enjoy the show to begin with. What's unhappy about discussing 'believing in ghosts' is that one has to be careful about people's feelings about the matter. Exactly because a belief system that encompasses ghosts, encompasses magic, witches, hexes, action at a distance (not the entwined kind, but if that's not magic, I don't know what is...), voodoo and the biggie: religion. Which takes in all of the previous. Stamp on ghosts and you're staring into religion.
Strange world we live in, no?
As an avid Ghost Adventures enthusiast, I watch the show knowing that the vast majority of the phenomena they catch is explainable; a feeling, a cold draft, etc. However, for all that there is that 1 percent that makes you go, " Hmm. " However small that percent maybe it still makes you wonder about what is out there, and that is the magic of ghost adventures and believing in ghosts / an afterlife / a higher plain / whatever you want to call it.
I never want to know how Penn and Teller do their version of the Bullet Catch, it's just too good an effect to have "wasted".
Way for Adam to take on the Ghost exploitative business. Couldn't agree more with his take on it. We believe in the law of physics and empirical obeservations here on Tested!
To those who want scientists to be more "open-minded" towards the paranormal, Tim Minchin said it so well:
"If you open your mind too much, your brain will fall out".
1ds? is that supposed to be 1dc?
Has Adam ever talked about his Star Trek seat.. it seems like he has the captains chair in the back next to the cabinets.. right?
Is that a prop , replica.. whats the story.. must know!!
BTW loved the podcast this week :)
What a wonderful episode. Hopefully a whole bunch of people are exposed to rational thinking.
The one problem with Adam's discussion is that if ghosts do exist, we don't know how to find ghosts or bigfoot or whatever mythical creature you look for. So, why get on them about what equipment they use? You have to try somethings to find a result. If you can get audial files, then you know recorders may work. If there is no scientific data...how do you propose they go about getting it without trying what they have heard works? Were the people looking for the mythical Mountain Gorilla nuts for looking for them because they were rumored to exist? Was Christopher Columbus nuts for crossing the ocean when the world was believed to be flat? I find your disdain for these type of researchers a little shocking because if you don't research the rumors, you may never find the truth.
I had a friend that did that constant fiddling with his nose and didn't turn out well when his problem went to court. I hope he doesn't end up with health or legal issues.
As far as Adam's remark about TH-cam comments, he isn't wrong.
Adam for the win!
What I got about that Twitter discussion:
1) Adam and I share a surprising number of beliefs.
2) I missed Mythbusters! Dammit! (Update: Ha! I was able to find it on the On Demand channel.)
It always amazes me that so many of Tested's TH-cam and twitter followers are so strongly opposed to Adam, Will and Norm's points of view. I tend to pick my subscriptions based on like mindedness.
One of the reasons that ghost hunting is not based in science is that no scientific mathematical prediction has been made for ghost phenomena. Ghost hunters tend to work backward in their investigation. They say that a ghost can be detected by an EMF meter or cold spot detection or whatever, but they have no mathematical evidence that says these methods work at all. People tend to ignore the fact that science is as much about creating predictions of potentially observable conditions as it is explaining observed conditions.
Mr Savage i am sorry for the rude comments people have made about your option and i agree with you and your point of view.
p.s. If people don't want to here your option they should not reed it.
There is a recent episode on radiolab about talking to the dead framed around a person who does not believe in it.
Do I believe is ghosts? I think Douglas Adams has the best answer when he describes the WSOGMM. No matter how you slice the universe something is there.
I see that saw dust all over adam snd i get excited for the next one day builds
I heard of someone that doesn't ever want to see a ghost because if they do they would know they have gone insane.
The problem with having someone who doesn't believe in ghosts go on a ghost hunt is that most of the people with ANY interest in ghost hunting are either believers or the jerk kind of skeptics.
as someone who runs a paranormal investigation blog as a hobby, yet totally doesn't believe this stuff, I can say that even if you don't believe this stuff it can still be entertaining, its like a form of living fiction
Maybe the Ghost Adventurers should invite Adam along sometime.
The afterlife is just the Master uploading people to a Galifreyan hard drive through WiFi.
So there is another Langham Hotel. Actually there are quite a few I guess. Having that as my last name its kinda weird hearing adam say it.
I love that in these comments it's the religious people that are respectful, and the atheists/skeptics that are butthurt. What irony!
When I try and hum the theme tune to It's always sunny it turns into Harry Potter.
The Dragon In My Garage by Carl Sagan. A great rebuttal to those who believe in ethereal beings.
There's a big difference between being dismissive of an "idea" and being dismissive of "people who hold a certain idea". I can personally be dismissive of religious beliefs and still critizise someone like Dawkins for often being very rude towards people (!), not just ideas.
If a ghost hunter has a theory that ghosts exist and they affect the magnetic field in measurable ways and they go out and test these theory, regardless of the subject isn’t that good science?
RecklessRobbie In this simple fashion no because there are too many possibilities for biases. Better would be testing using someone who doesn't knows about the hypothesis tested there, testing in environment with and without alleged ghosts (establishing what the norm even is), controlling for non-supernatural factors that might affect the reading, look at *all* data gathered (you won't believe how often people fall into the sharpshooter fallacy)…
Where is the control for this "experiment"? I think that the ghost investigations are very entertaining and pertinent to my interests, but I also couldn't call then hard evidence.
When I discuss science or civil liberties I often encounter theistic zealots proselytizing to me. When I discuss faith or the spiritual I often encounter atheistic zealots proselytizing to me. All the zealots are equally annoying.
I'm sorry that Adam doesn't read these comments, because I have something to say about his thought that the attempt to use equipment that relates to known physical phenomena is misguided in attempting to find ghosts...
Basically, you're right. It hasn't been proven that the equipment can detect anything. But the fact is, it has to be tested in the first place. And in order to do that, you have to find a phenomenon that is repeatable, and you might as well use the equipment in the first place to see if it could be observed even once using any of that equipment. Yes, it's true that we haven't observed anything to determine if it can be detected with anything we can detect it with. But trying to say that it's unscientific to use scientific tools in attempting to quantify (to the best of science's ability) whether it can be detected or observed in the first place? That's like saying that any investigators need to use dowsing rods or a psychic to locate a phenomenon, which might not be repeated (since everyone seems to assume that hauntings/poltergeists/whatever must be repeatable on demand, which is not necessarily a safe assumption).
I understand that you're saying there's no evidence that it can be found with scientific equipment -- but what are you suggesting instead, that they try to invent the Ghostbusters Psycho-Kinetic Energy Meter (PKE Meter) without having a certainty as to how to go about it? If they find a phenomenon that they can agree happened, and the equipment doesn't show it, then that suggests that current technology cannot find it. Great! That's science, is it not? A boundary that we cannot perceive! Something new to explore! But if they can see something with the scientific equipment, but it's apparently incomplete, then that's even better in the economic climate humanity has created -- because it would provide potentially grant-worthy evidence that there's a boundary that we haven't yet explored.
I am more a Mythbusters guy than a Ghost Adventures guy, please don't get me wrong. I'm just saying, please stop and consider just what you're saying when you suggest that it's not a worthwhile endeavor to go about anything like what the Ghost Adventures crew is doing. Where the Mythbusters crew seems to want to rely on already-existing science to do its thing... as you've pointed out, the Ghost Adventures crew is trying to do something for which no science has yet been created. Please don't try to say that they're unworthy just because there is no already-existing peer-reviewed scientific literature. (They may come up with nothing... but if they do, at least they're going about it the right way.)
If you read this, thanks for your time.
HOLY SH*T, WERES R2-DT'S HEAD?
Adam says he uses "critical thinker" to avoid all the emotional ties with some very strong words such as atheist. No one, I mean NO ONE has EVER taken into consideration that I'm an atheist and don't like to be proselytized to. So I'm happy to return the favor in polite but direct words, "no thank you, I'm atheist". This upsets some folks but these folks don't seem to care about my feelings. So, I will continue to be polite and direct with no consideration to the attached feelings or emotions to this word of atheist. Now, here is the mind bender. I like the idea of taking one day off and doing NOTHING. Maybe going to a group of like minded people to talk and socialize and maybe enjoy a speaker and music. Hmmmm. Sounds like Sunday doesn't it. Well, the intent is different but the action is similar. Socializing with friends and neighbors is a good thing. I have no bad feeling about the building on the corner where folks gather one or more days a week. That I think is a good thing. The organization that some of the those buildings have hidden behind them, I have no use for. Well, best of luck folks. I think Adam has to be a little more PC than I due to his public notoriety. Just some thoughts.
But adam, what about people who don't believe in global warming
Nobody can say Adam is correct/wrong in his views, in the same way he can't and doesn't say you are wrong. Each to their own, I say and from this chat that is the opinion expressed here too
Adam,
You can't go through life without pissing someone off. We all have viewpoints and opinions that someone will not like for some reason. Not having an viewpoint or opinion will piss someone off. Don't worry about it.
While i don't share all of the same beliefs with Adam, i never once would think he was being a troll about them. the comment about how he's a cyberbully for the comment particularly has me scratching my head at the absurdity of it all.
We have those Ghost shows being filmed up here in Canada. One night, my friend (loves extreme biking) when mountain biking through some woods and stumbled upon them filming in a "haunted forest". So yeah, I don't have much faith in these ghost shows. There's so many of them around the world and yet they still can't find hard evidence.
This reminds me of the Epic Rap Battle Mythbusters vs Ghostbusters check it out on TH-cam
If ghosts are people who died a violent death and come back to haunt survivors and eat up their souls, I think they exist. If mythbusters had one less lucky escape, they could be haunted by past ghosts too.
I wish that people would remember that everyone is allowed to have their own beliefs. You get very strong opinions from one side or the other which is great but that doesn't give anyone the right to insult or belittle another person for what they believe in. I share the same opinions as Adam and I may not agree with the other but I refuse to ridicule someone for what they believe and I wish others would do the same.
I need a Myth Busters / Bullshit crossover.
All of this because of a tweet, not surprise about this.. ITS THE INTERNET AFTER ALL...
I don't comment on things much, but I wanted to say that I agree with Adam. Don't use sudo-science to confuse people. These ghost shows are trolling humanity.
i enjoyed this podcast. it pushed a bit deeper into the subject of personal beliefs. dont get me wrong....crash a star destroyer into a deathstar made of legos and you have my attention. but this was good.
Having an opinion is like having a penis. It's nice to have one, but I'd rather you didn't wave it in my face.
I like Adam's outlook on life, he doesn't gent bent out of shape when people disagree with his opinion, but is passionate about discussing the things he does believe in when invited to.
Also R2 is missing his face!
Am I the only one that finds the headless R2D2 in the corner a bit disturbing...
I am the person who ASKED HIM (on Thursday, Adam!) what to watch! /pouts/ No shout outs? /overly melodramatic/ I AM NEVER WATCHING YOUR SHOW AGAIN! /end melodramatic tone/ LMAO!
In regard to an afterlife consider Pascals wager my friends. If one believes in God and He exists there is infinite gain, if not nothing is lost. If one doesn't believe in God and he exists there is infinite loss, if he doesn't exist, once again nothing is lost.
In regard to ghosts. I'm with Adam, just fyi.
Why after all the years of experiencing science prove the impossible is possible do we still say things are impossible? numerous scientists said heavier than air travel was impossible and yet here we are with massively heavier than air vehicles... So why are we still close minded about things? anything and everything!? because we have beliefs, and what would we do if our beliefs where challenged by science? harder yet would you try to prove your beliefs wrong scientifically?
I'm tempted to be a cynic and say "Adam, it's your own fault for publicly stating an opinion." But I can't. That would be fucked up. But when did we become a society where having beliefs or not believing allowed people to jump down your throat when they disagree? Internet trolls, angry pundits, skeptics, enough already! Why can't some people accept that someone else disagrees with them? Life is not an argument you have to win at all costs. Always being "right' is wrong and close-minded. Can't we just agree to disagree for once?
I think the key to being a skeptic is to remain skeptical of yourself and constantly question your own beliefs. Otherwise, you simply build yourself a new religion with yourself in the role of God. I think Penn and Teller do this quite a bit in their Bullshit show. They do just enough research to confirm their pre-existing beliefs and often fail to even consider evidence that conflicts with their position. It ends up just being yet another rigid ideology devoid of real skepticism or critical thinking. Maintaining personal skepticism is hard, but I think it is very much worth it. Even if we are all bound to fail at it from time to time.
seems like a lot of people came to believe in ghosts from watching some show. Please please take such shows with a handful of salt. They are there to grab your interest and make money.
Well I gotta admit I have my own beliefs I have my own way of life. I'd be insulted if someone used certain words to describe it, either that or absolutes with out framing it as: I believe. I will always accept your beliefs as valid and worth while input, but remember that as men and women of science we need to question even what seems to be absolutely true. This is where we learn. I do believe in a God, but I'm also a big defender of evolution just one that was planned by a divine being. Do I wish I knew more people in scientific fields that have a strong religious faith? yes because they often think in a very different way. I'd mainly point to medical research where they use different methods in some cases to not conflict with religious beliefs so then there's even more exploration of possible medicine/medical advances.
EDIT: and I'd pose the same point to the religious to never assume everything is because of religion. The hurricane katrina was not the wrath of god. The war in the middle east is being claimed religious so the extremists feel they can kill whomever they see fit. That's where religion has turned into something very dark and horrible. Even the crusades a black spot on my peoples history is something we need to make up for to this very day, because there was no excuse to claim religion gives us the right to massacre.
OK, I've not seen 'Ghost Adventures' but in the UK we had a similar sounding TV program called 'Most Haunted' where a presenter, a medium etc, visited 'haunted' historic locations, walked around in the dark filming in IR, and scared the crap out of each other. Of course, the 'medium' was full of horse puckey, ... he was fed some information, which was made up, but acted out a possession by the fake character. It's detailed on the Wikipedia page for the medium 'Derek Acorah' ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Acorah )
Therefore I think everyone involved knows it's made for TV bullshit. I don't think there's an ounce of sincerity in it, and I despair for the fools who lap it up.
I'm also a bit disappointed in Adam running away from the label 'atheist'. If people try to hang baggage on that term, tell them not to, correct them, don't give ground and use another label, because they'll come after that too, and it will just make atheists look shifty.
All the gadgetry used in ghost hunting is based on a "strawman" science, much like the arguments used by ghost hunting show fans.
That nose whistle though...damn.
That was a departure from what I expected. But interesting nonetheless.