1. Comment #20052 by AdrianB on January 31, 2007 at 7:13 am

It should be added that the Point Of Inquiry podcast is an excellent listen. As is the Freedom From Religion Foundation podcast.

Any other recommendations anyone?

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2. Comment #20059 by Mango on January 31, 2007 at 7:24 am

deGrasse is much like Carl Sagan, trying to educate people about the beauty, vastness, and majesty of the universe. Yet no matter how humbling and awe-inspiring the universe is, I do not think that it will necessarily plant any doubt in a theist's mind about the existence of their god. deGrasse isn't promoting atheism directly, but he confronts religion directly when it is raised by a questioner, and his explanation of his atheism might "break the spell" of a theist.

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3. Comment #20066 by Devolution on January 31, 2007 at 8:23 am

Dr Tyson was on the Daily Show with John Stewart last night and really seemed like a great guy. I've always enjoyed him on NOVA and Origins, so it was great to see him in a more informal setting. I find his passion for science to be a true inspiration.

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4. Comment #20070 by CruciFiction on January 31, 2007 at 8:38 am

The Daily Show segment with Dr. Tyson can be viewed here:

http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=81508

(following an advertisement)

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5. Comment #20110 by ClemIsMe on January 31, 2007 at 12:44 pm

I haven't seen him on Nova, unfortunately, but I did watch the Beyond Belief online vids, and his presentation was "infectious". I felt like a kid watching Cosmos for the first time again. I wanted to rush out buy a hundred Astronomy books. I kind of did, in fact. Thanks for posting this and TDS vid!

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6. Comment #20140 by MIND_REBEL on January 31, 2007 at 3:04 pm

I feel Neil Tyson does a disservice to the work of prof Dawkins by tolerating the theistic worldview. People like him are giving just as much cover to the extremists as the religious moderates. An Atheist that is ashamed of his atheism doesn't deserve to call themselves an atheist.

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7. Comment #20147 by StephenH on January 31, 2007 at 3:25 pm

Comment #20052:

Perhaps we could resource our favourite podcasts:

Skepticality: The official podcast of Sceptic Magazine

SETI: Science & Skepicism

Infidel Guy - Debate Hour - Infidel Radio (has recent interviews with Richard Dawkins & Sam Harris)

A more light-hearted one:

The President's Weekly Radio Address (parody)

On I-Tunes, the Parody version of the Podcast receives a much higher rating than the Official Weekly Radio Address - the people speak :)

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8. Comment #20159 by Sancus on January 31, 2007 at 4:32 pm

Tyson is excellent. He really gets science education. His earlier appearance on Point of Inquiry is also good. In it he echoes what I think are the real problems with science education and the way we raise children. We stunt their natural enjoyment for experimentation.

http://www.pointofinquiry.org/?p=63

And the direct download link:

http://libsyn.com/media/pointofinquiry/8-18-06.mp3

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9. Comment #20161 by melisande on January 31, 2007 at 4:38 pm

I don't think he does a disservice at all.
And I don't think he's ashamed of his atheism.
He is saying some of the same things I've heard Dawkins say.

I think his definition of "Science" was brilliant. Understanding innately the problems with "branding" though he doesn't say that out right but that's what he's talking about,
I think that both he and Dawkins are expressing the ultimate goal of getting the people to _think_ and question. Dawkins may seem more on the frontlines against "The God Folk" but like I've said before, that's the way you wage a campaign. You have to have the hardliners and I don't think that Tyson is -not- a hardliner, he's just a futurist...he's thinking ahead, and working out how to get cohesion and understanding as we go along.

Augh, he just riles me up with this sense of "What now? YEAH! Let's go, let's brainstorm on continuing to promote this Way of Thinking as something beyond just test tubes and inscrutable equations.


Of course he _is _ and anti planet pluto-ist as far as I know....

;^)

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10. Comment #20171 by DangerRuss on January 31, 2007 at 5:36 pm

Hi CruciFiction. Thanks for that link.

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11. Comment #20205 by Logicel on February 1, 2007 at 3:34 am

Tyson is the embodiment of the love of knowledge. He is also a very sexy embodiment, especially the sensual dynamite which is his voice.

All that is necessary is to expose your mind to this guy's irresistible and inspirational appreciation of the POWER of science to want to empower yourself with it.

I adore his reference to the "pollination of disciplines" that has occurred fairly recently in science. Tyson has his pulse on what is important to people--empowerment in understanding the physical universe and how we humans intersect with it.

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12. Comment #20207 by Logicel on February 1, 2007 at 3:51 am

Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia: "Tyson has written a number of popular books on astronomy. In 1995, he began to write the "Universe" column for Natural History magazine. In a column for the magazine he authored in 2002, Tyson coined the term "Manhattanhenge" to describe the two days annually on which the evening sun aligns with the cross streets of the street grid in Manhattan, making sunset visible along unobstructed side streets."

During the 40 years in which I lived in NYC, I did catch this sight of "Manhattanhenge" a couple of times, and I had always thought the sun did it just for me!

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13. Comment #20208 by eccles on February 1, 2007 at 4:10 am

The World and especially the United States of America needs thousands more of Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. I am an Australia, an Atheist and an amateur Scientist majoring in Cosmology. Even from 10,000 miles away I can see the harm Religion is doing to America. Look at the thousands of man-hours spent by bible thumping preachers brainwashing people into the crap of the bible. Look at the attitude of about half of the American population toward Atheists. If more scientists like Dr. Tyson and the late Carl Sagan could get on TV and tell the people about the true facts of science America would be a better place. I have "Cosmos" on DVD. I have other Astronomy DVDs and I follow NASA closely. I make up DVDs of all the Shuttle Missions to the ISS. I believe NASA is trying to generate more interest in the Space Program in students to try replace theit retiring scientists. I also believe Geo. W. Bush would even ban science if his fundamentalist religious right supporters told him to. NASA funding is a disgrace. NASA spends in one year for the benefit of mankind what the US Military spend in one day to kill people. Where is the morality in that.

Wake up Americans. Give up this bible bullshit and embrace and encourage science.

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14. Comment #20218 by firemancarl on February 1, 2007 at 5:42 am

I like watching Dr Tyson when he is on the Discovery Science Channels astronomy shows on Tuesday night. Maybe a lot has to do with the fact that he is energetic and is up beat when he talks about his field.

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15. Comment #20234 by Homo economicus on February 1, 2007 at 8:07 am

It would be great that people would have a scientific literacy the way people do of language.

Yet we seem to be struggling at my place of work for people to be competent in simple maths.

I think his approach to encouraging inspiring sparky teachers is great. If we can find a way to encorage these sort of people in the profession and to join than maybe we can be optimistic.

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16. Comment #20237 by USA_Limey on February 1, 2007 at 8:15 am

Comment #20208 by eccles on February 1, 2007 at 4:10 am Said:

"I also believe Geo. W. Bush would even ban science if his fundamentalist religious right supporters told him to"

No Mate, they need science to build those hi-tech weapons remember? It's another example of the duality of mind of these people.

Off topic but today (Feb 1st) was national day of prayer in the USA. I am paraphrasing but Bush said the following:

"The most important thing people can do for their elected representatives is to pray for them"

This country is in real trouble as long as the highest levels of government say crap like that.

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17. Comment #20266 by Riley on February 1, 2007 at 10:47 am

MIND_REBEL wrote: I feel Neil Tyson does a disservice to the work of prof Dawkins by tolerating the theistic worldview. People like him are giving just as much cover to the extremists as the religious moderates.

wow. did you even listen to that interview?

Tyson (30:58):
"...other views are rife with conflicts that come about simply because you are born to a differnt time, born to different parents, or born to different cultural values. Of course every religion identifies its own religion as the one and only religion one should be, nearly every religion postures themselves this way. And so that's a non-convergent approach to understanding. And in fact, most people who are a religion are that religion because that was the religion of their parents. And that should force a person to take pause, and refelct on what role that belief system will play in coming-up with an unambiguous understanding of reality, when someone else in another land, in another time, born to different parents will have a completely different view of that same reality and they'll be no less convinced of its truth. There's something wrong there."

what more do you want?

Tyson has a real talent for communicating his uncompromising critical view toward irrational thinking (e.g. religion), while at the same time focusing on the positive aspects of science.


--

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18. Comment #20293 by Frostbit on February 1, 2007 at 3:12 pm

QUOTE:

[It should be added that the Point Of Inquiry podcast is an excellent listen. As is the Freedom From Religion Foundation podcast.
Any other recommendations]


My favorite pod cast is Science Friday.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/feed/

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