Відео

The legendary pinker! Props to you host

12:38 - The negative connotation with the phrase "conspiracy theory", to me, seems to be in how we process the word "conspiracy". When applied to things like UFOs, JFK assassination, COVID, etc., "conspiracy" tends to imply a highly convoluted, top-down scheme where the people at the top are omniscient and possess total agency, while the people at the bottom, insofar as they exist (grand conspiracies about, e.g., UFO laboratories, seem to forget the vast support network of low-level employees like craftspeople and janitors that would be required), are wholly cooperative, ideologically pure, and perfectly sanitized. I don't think, agnostic of context, the word "conspiracy" implies this, even though in the parlance of "conspiracy theories" it typically does.

Excellent

Why would the buildings need to come down at all? As someone who was there, it was obvious they were coming down. You could tell.

Was great to chat!

Agreeing

One of my more coherent rants!

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These guys will look like fools in 5 years time. Probably a lot sooner if the next administration has it's way.

Thanks so much for this! In a world (especially my country, USA) where over half our population believe in supernatural powers and 19 percent over the age of 18 are functionally illiterate, the rational thinking and calm demeanor of Mick West is a much needed breath of fresh air! Despite popular opinion, most of us skeptics would love nothing more than to discover we’ve been visited by beings from another planet, however, evidence is important , especially for a claim that big, so instead of buying a ticket to hear UFO/UAP “experts” tell stories, or buy their latest book about the disclosure that’s juuuuust around the corner, I’ll wait for the real prize, if there is one, I think being okay with the probability there isn’t is the key!

Let’s hope we don’t have to see how quickly a Trump administration will shut this down

I would love to hear you and Melanie Trecek-King chat about AI and teaching critical thinking. 😊

Her staring up at another screen? Was very distracting...

Micks ‘softly softly’ approach to talking to people who are down the rabbit hole is likely the most effective way to drag them out, but I think he might be going a little far here at the beginning in defining conspiratorial thinking as just on a sliding scale of normal levels of reasoning/credulity. I believe there is such a thing as conspiratorial mindset, and it can quickly become pathological and destructive to people’s mental health. This is why imo it’s a very important thing to address and talk about; to ultimately help people. This stuff isn’t harmless.

Bible?

Not sure who the biggest grifter is, Kim Il Jung or Mick West... at least te's not subscribing to flat earth theory

Wow, Trump is more vile than Fred. Tnx

It should be called "Pseudo-Woke" to make it actually clear that it is counter-productive to its claimed aims. It is a Stalinist, not Marxist per se, movement.

😮 that is so upsetting! We are supposed to support each other in the community. 😢

Wes, through manner and word choice is implying that it's unfortunate that "Critical Race Theory", as attempted in American schools, couldn't get foothold because the yahoos are still afraid of the commies. I wonder how in favor of Critical Race Dr. D & West would be if a few of the textbooks used were based...on Oswald Spengler books, and say, I don't know, The Bell Curve. Just for balance. How about the schools inviting James Watson as guest speaker on critical race theory. He helped discover DNA after all. I bet he's got awesome critical thinking skills. 21:10 to 21:35

Conspiracy theorists are the dregs of society

Have you read.. The World's I See is a memoir by Fei-Fei Li, a renowned computer scientist and AI expert. The book is a story of science in the first person, documenting one of the century's defining moments from the inside. It provides a riveting story of a scientist at work and a thrillingly clear explanation of what artificial intelligence actually is - and how it came to be. A Story of Science and Discovery The book is a deeply personal account of Fei-Fei Li's journey as a scientist, from her humble beginnings as an immigrant to her rise as a leading thinker in AI. She shares her experiences as a student, a teacher, and a researcher, and her deep love for the work that has cemented her reputation as a leading expert in AI. A Hopeful Vision for AI As the world grapples with the implications of AI, Fei-Fei Li provides a hopeful, human-centered vision for how this powerful technology can improve our lives. She believes that AI has the potential to make a positive impact on society, and she is committed to developing and using AI to improve the human condition. A Must-Read for Anyone Interested in AI and Science The World's I See is a fascinating peek behind the curtain of a major scientific breakthrough, and an inspiring story of one woman's curiosity and courage. It is a must-read for anyone interested in AI, science, and the potential of technology to shape our future.

Sad and naive conversation. When you begin with the premise that conspiracy theories are not to be believed, you are at the other extreme.

Mick, I enjoy your ufo debunking, but the Morgellons needs more research. There is something going on there.

Another excellent talk. Steve Omohundro is on a roll!

What about applying some basic rules Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all Concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The host wants to put people in jail for thought crimes so bad. He brought it up 2 times. Also does he know 3 towers fell in New York on 9/11? I doubt it.

I don't think critical thinking means you disagree necessarily it means you are examining something critically

"sunlight bends"??? what world are you living in? sunlight absolutely travels only in straight lines unless acted upon by something else

i would love to be proved wrong, it would be great. i'm quite happy to be proved wrong and change my opinion- i'll admit that the flat earth thing had some interesting arguments, but I researched further and changed my mind. it's a globe

so how does the placebo effect work exactly?

this is good advice actually. why do you think that 911 was not an inside job? where did you get your information proving a negative? why do you think that big pharma are a bunch of benevolent corporations trying to save mankind? why do you still believe multiple people died at Jan6? Why do you believe "climate change" is man made? Why do you believe billionaire, George Soros is a benevolent man who's investing in the creating a better world for everyone?

science /ˈsʌɪəns/ noun noun: science 1. the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained. it's the method that makes it science

no, you're saying, "believe what you're told", not think for yourself

ah, it's only conservatives who are conspiracy theorists, of course

"conspiracy theorist" would be someone who makes up conspiracies wouldn't they? unless there's a list of conspiracies you have to believe to be in the club. holy crap, you think that accepting what you're told without thinking for yourself makes you low IQ. so the architects and engineers know less than you about the strength and stresses put on structures? what's your qualification? you watched the news didn't you!? well fair enough, that makes sense. if you have multiple producers for a podcast with 900 vies in 2 weeks... then i can shenanigans on this whole thing - you are CIA

In the reality we inhabit, the world of science can be such a seamlessly self-propelling machine solely because the only factor shaping this world is human consciousness. Our free will is inviolable. The world does not negate what you desire to receive. If you believe in a scientific world, such a world you shall receive. You won't have any mystical experiences; everything will be logical and 'square' to you. Every day, you'll receive evidence to confirm your beliefs. However, you can awaken. The world won't ignore even the slightest moment of awakening. It will then give you clues and test whether you're ready. If you pass the test, the path to spiritual enlightenment will open up before you. You'll become the person you've always wanted to be, even though you thought it is impossible in this imperfect world.

If someone has read my comment about body pulsing, here are the next steps you should take: 1. Convince yourself that the process I described is real (body pulsing) - it's not difficult, anyone can do it 2. Once you're convinced that the process isn't imaginary and is repeatable, try to find a scientific explanation for this phenomenon 3. Disappointed that you haven't found a single scientific study on the subject, ask yourself why such studies don't exist? 4. Try to investigate this topic on your own. Discuss it with a colleague - a scientist, a university professor, or even with your family 5. After you've been ignored and ridiculed by all these people, welcome yourself to the group of conspiracy theory supporters

When minds characterized by exceptional analytical prowess, skepticism, and a realistic approach to life encounter something that shakes their ideological foundations, the reaction typically transcends mere disappointment or disillusionment. It's like a lightning strike on a tranquil plain, capable of shaking the very essence of one's being. Paradoxically, it is precisely this shock, this disorientation, that sometimes becomes the beginning of a journey towards spiritual enlightenment. When worldviews are shaken, a new space for reflection, exploration, and deeper understanding of reality opens up.

Thanks for an excellent discussion, and sorry to see there will be a few fleas crawling around here, as they are incapable of speaking directly to the people who have the facts. Like all pestilence, they moult Innuendo and spurious minutiae.

Yes, I know. English is not my native language. The main idea of my comment is "You are something more than your body". You don't have to take my word for it, you can try it out yourself. Here are the steps you need to take: 1. Try to suspend your beliefs acquired throughout your life 2. Acknowledge in your mind that you are not your body (even if you don't believe it, try to believe it for a moment) 3. Repeat several times: "Today, while meditating, I will go beyond my body" 4. Lie down in a comfortable position 5. Relax all your muscles. Allow gravity to take effect. In your mind, imagine that you are shutting down all command systems in your body, turning off all lights, and going home. Turn off the commander as well. It's as if you're looking from a bird's eye view at a large city where there's a power outage. Sequentially, each part of the city disappears into darkness from the map. The same should happen with your body. 6. After about 30 minutes, you will start feeling like a mummified corpse. Your body will begin to numb. Just continue lying down. 7. Try to calm your mind. If you've never meditated before, don't expect immediate success. Here, every small success counts. Just having your mind monkey a bit less active than usual is enough 8. After about an hour, you will stop feeling your body 9. While still lying down, at some point, you will feel a very regular vibration of energy in your body. Anyone can reach this stage. This will be the first sign that your soul is leaving your body. It won't be some imagined vibration but a very specific, very regular pulsation. You are not your body. Your soul is energy and vibrates/trembles at different frequencies 10. Don't fool yourself into thinking you'll reach this point without any practice, but at point 10, the vibration intensifies. You will start hearing the sound of an earthquake in your ears 11. Crossing the threshold. Your body will become aware that the soul is leaving the body. Your heart will start pounding as if during a heart attack. You'll get a strong dose of adrenaline. If you don't get scared and cancel the whole process at this point, the exit from the body occurs. If you have fear within you, unresolved childhood traumas, you won't reach the threshold. Dealing with fear and becoming aware of it is the most important task of the whole process. You're unaware of the multitude of limitations imposed by fear

This feels like one person speaking, and the other is the echo. The priest probably doesn't realise his superstition contradicts the concept of critical thinking. I have yet to hear an argument that shows religious beliefs are nothing more than excuses people use to forfeit critical thinking May 6 2pm GMT

Starting roughly at the 1:05:00 mark, one of you describes the appearance of the tower collapses, stating (and hand-gesturing), among other things, that there was this 'big expulsion of material' (floor-by-floor, as per your hand gesturing). What is the 'material' that was expelled, as indicated by the videos?

The 'flat earth' theory is very easily debunked: If the earth were flat, then all the cats would have knocked everything off the sides by now. Whoever thought up the idea of making flat earth a 'thing' online is/was a genius, as it has been a great money-maker for people on both sides of the 'argument'.

As critical thinkers, do both of you believe it is appropriate for major crimes to be investigated by 'commissions' of senators, like the '9/11 Commission' and the 'January 6th Commission'? What basis do you have for believing such a thing is appropriate?

If I recall correctly, it was the south tower whose collapse initiation began with the top section tilting 23 degrees off to the side, yet the building below still systematically, sequentially and SYMMETRICALLY deconstructed itself underneath the offset top section. Explain. Also, a question: were the floors of the towers designed to have more strength to resist downward forces or upward forces upon them?

The certainty of beliefs presented by both gentlemen is unfortunately unwarranted. Despite the fact that science and scientific methods generally allow us to unravel many mysteries of this world, there are processes that do not lend themselves to the scientific method. In other words, science can investigate a certain part of reality, but there is a significantly larger portion that will never be subject to investigation. Moreover, this portion that eludes the scientific method is crucial and provides us with the greatest insight into what this reality is. Of course, at this point, both gentlemen might ask, "How do you know this? Have you learned about it using some research method? Or is it just my subjective assessment stemming from wishful thinking?" And at this point, our paths will likely diverge because this second part of reality can only be known through introspection and expanding one's own consciousness. Unfortunately, both gentlemen will not be able to approach these processes with a ruler, so they must ignore them by definition. If only one of the gentlemen sincerely tried to open up to these things, tried to look within themselves through methods that have been known to humanity for hundreds of years, their thinking about the universe would completely change. Unfortunately, respect for the scientific method is often what prevents them from crossing this barrier. Believing in science, they remain convinced that they are the only ones firmly grounded on Earth, yet they are unfortunately deprived of the possibility of fully understanding this world due to their own limitations. My journey began with science. I completed doctoral studies in Economics and Computer Science. I used to think similarly to the gentlemen. One night, I had a spontaneous awakening of Kundalini energy. I woke up in the middle of the night, a huge surge of energy passed through my body exactly as the whole process is described by various mystics. To this day, every evening, I feel this energy in my legs. It's truly an amazing feeling. This energy circulates in my body, you feel it doing something, you feel it is intelligent. Upon the release of this energy, as it passed through my body, it stopped at the so-called "chakras." Once, when I heard people talking about chakras, I wondered where people believing in such tales came from. Now, no one can tell me it's not true. After this event, I am a different person; Kundalini opened me up. I started meditating. I started trying to have out-of-body experiences (OBEs). The things I experienced and saw after overcoming fear and opening up to this whole process are incredible. Unfortunately, these experiences are beyond the reach of both gentlemen because the possibility of these experiences is entirely dependent on the sincerity and intention of the person who wants to open up. You must rid yourself of fear, you must trust, you must change yourself, you must rid yourself of all those things you've always wanted to rid yourself of in your behavior. Then the doors will open for you, and you can see more.

Great interview! And I had no clue about that Bright movement, being a fan of both Dennett and Dawkins, I can say that was a horrible idea indeed 😂

As a critical thinker I don't look to the government for the answers. Why should it be the government and/or the politicians to determine what is true or false? I prefer other sources. There is bias everywhere, so I have to consider all points of view, then think for myself and reach my common sense conclusions. My biggest problem with ufologists is the lack of evidence, or the difference between the remarkable stories and the unremarkable evidence, but there are other stories or claims from other parties about other issues that I also have to question for the same reason. Or evidence that does exist, but contradicts the narrative. I just have to think for myself, the starting point for critical or logical thinking.