This is a very good podcast. I started out downloading a few neat sounding titles. However, after I listened to them, I started to download more. Finally, I downloaded all of them and listened to them.
Overall, I mostly find myself in agreement with everything Brian is saying. However, he has done a pretty good job of additional research in each of these areas. They are very interesting and really reveal how common pseudo-science really is.
I only had two comments overall on the episodes. The first is on Blood for Oil. I agree with Brian that oil was probably not the reason we went to Iraq. However, I don't think you can easily rule it out either. Oil is a global commodity. So if "terrorist" countries stopped selling oil, their customers would buy from our oil sources. This would drive up our costs.
The other was on the episode on whick kills more people: religion or atheism? I do agree with Biran's final conclusion in that people can justify killing by religion or some other reason. So pointing fingers doesn't really get us anywhere. But I think there is a point to be made that religion offers a very easy excuse. I think it is the easiest excuse. If that option was not there, people would still find ways to kill and feel just about it, but I think it would be a lot tougher.
One example I recall is when the Spanish were exploring Central Mexico. They had a priest with them that would say that God wanted them to enslave the American Indians and take their gold. Without religion, they would have had to go through the trouble of setting up treaties and then finding fault with the American Indians before they could steal and plunder. If they did it without religion or politics, they would be a pirate and know it. I think people want to feel good and just with their actions. Religion is an easy wayy to do it. Politics or other mechanisms are slower and maybe offer other possibilities. For example, in the story I read, the Spanish launched a surprise attack against superior numbers. It would have been harder to carry that off if they had to go through political measures.
Overall, good job. I can wait to hear more.
Overall, I mostly find myself in agreement with everything Brian is saying. However, he has done a pretty good job of additional research in each of these areas. They are very interesting and really reveal how common pseudo-science really is.
I only had two comments overall on the episodes. The first is on Blood for Oil. I agree with Brian that oil was probably not the reason we went to Iraq. However, I don't think you can easily rule it out either. Oil is a global commodity. So if "terrorist" countries stopped selling oil, their customers would buy from our oil sources. This would drive up our costs.
The other was on the episode on whick kills more people: religion or atheism? I do agree with Biran's final conclusion in that people can justify killing by religion or some other reason. So pointing fingers doesn't really get us anywhere. But I think there is a point to be made that religion offers a very easy excuse. I think it is the easiest excuse. If that option was not there, people would still find ways to kill and feel just about it, but I think it would be a lot tougher.
One example I recall is when the Spanish were exploring Central Mexico. They had a priest with them that would say that God wanted them to enslave the American Indians and take their gold. Without religion, they would have had to go through the trouble of setting up treaties and then finding fault with the American Indians before they could steal and plunder. If they did it without religion or politics, they would be a pirate and know it. I think people want to feel good and just with their actions. Religion is an easy wayy to do it. Politics or other mechanisms are slower and maybe offer other possibilities. For example, in the story I read, the Spanish launched a surprise attack against superior numbers. It would have been harder to carry that off if they had to go through political measures.
Overall, good job. I can wait to hear more.
