The Street Epistemology Podcast

Ep 085: Street Epistemology Tutorial 5: When to Bail on Believers San Antonio, TX 30 December 2014 Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 This fifth tutorial details several examples where it's likely best to terminate a Street Epistemology encounter. Ultimately, the decision to continue or leave will fall on the individual. It's my goal, by showing a few examples, to help viewers become prepared to make that choice when the time comes. My objective is to teach others how to conduct similar conversations with believers—regardless of the religion they subscribe to—based on techniques from Dr. Peter Boghossian's book, “A Manual for Creating Atheists”. I also want to encourage others to build off of these techniques and conduct similar conversations with believers in their own unique style. Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-INT-PRE Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Initial Jose (Manic Evangelical) Interview: http://youtu.be/BlANQL1ZS1w Initial Mike (Lupus) Interview: http://youtu.be/8UKOpDxkMEk Initial Billy (Substance Abuse) Interview: http://youtu.be/5Mx3x6hgrQY Initial Jerry (Thug) Interview: http://youtu.be/285s4r_rZHs Initial Rosendo (Physical Trauma) Interview: http://youtu.be/2maPVoH-eHo Resources: When to Abstain from Street Epistemology https://streetepistemology.com/publications/when_to_abstain_from_street_epistemology Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Mistakes: Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

Ep 084: Joanna | A Faith-Based Stretch | Street Epistemology San Antonio, Texas 16 November 2016 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of My Top Five: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-TOP5 Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Joanna initially put her confidence in the existence of a God at the 90 percent mark, but raised it to 100 percent midway through the talk. There were many reasons for Joanna's high level of confidence, but most of her beliefs are faith-based. Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Mistakes: Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

Ep 083: Keith | Studying Sturdiness | Street Epistemology San Antonio, Texas 16 November 2016 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 Playlist of My Top Five: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-TOP5 Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA This was Keith's first time to the trail, and he seemed eager to talk with me about the sturdiness of his walking stick and the faith he uses to conclude his Roman Catholic God belief is true. Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Mistakes: Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

Ep 082: Ideologue | A Rocket Ship to Mars (full version) San Antonio, Texas 18 November 2016 Link to Short Version: https://youtu.be/MZ17QRMFJPU Link to Full Version: https://youtu.be/0Joj5H8UBc8 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 Playlist of My Top Five: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-TOP5 Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Playlist of A Rocket Ship to Mars: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-ARSTM This Navy veteran approached me on the trailhead to ask me about the various rules of the park, possibly to challenge why I was there. While our talk focused on the man's openness to legalizing marijuana, it quickly became a case study about the lengths a person will go in order to maintain a belief. I'd like to add a bit more context to my, "He is the antithesis of why I am out here, and he's also my motivation.", which appears around the 13:35 mark in the full version of the encounter. My purpose with Str_eet Epi_stem_ology is to encourage people to reflect on their beliefs, and if the methods they are using to arrive at their conclusions are unreliable, help them discover that. This approach demands that you are also willing to adjust your beliefs in the process. This overarching philosophy is baked into Str_eet Epi_stem_ology, and is what I referring to. While people who are honest and open to discussing the possibility that their beliefs could be mistaken are a joy to encounter, individuals who are absolutely certain that they are right, and won't even consider new information to revise their position are dangerous to the future of the human race. This realization motivates me to spend as much time as I do working on and promoting Str_eet Epi_stem_ology, because it seems like our best chance for helping people to move away from fundamentalism and towards reason and rationality. Resources: Thomas Paine, The American Crisis “To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.” Park Rules I made a tweet with a close-up of the picture from exact brochure page that was shown in the video: http://tinyurl.com/TW-AM-SE-PARKRULES Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Special thanks to Socrates Jones for narrating the Thomas Paine quote. Please visit their YouTube Channel: http://tinyurl.com/kotoszv Mistakes: After watching the video again, the man does say that he would consider less than five reasons ("I'd be happy with two."). But in light of his other actions and words, how confident are you that this would be the case? Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

Ep 081: Ideologue | A Rocket Ship to Mars (short version) San Antonio, Texas 18 November 2016 Link to Short Version: https://youtu.be/MZ17QRMFJPU Link to Full Version: https://youtu.be/0Joj5H8UBc8 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 Playlist of My Top Five: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-TOP5 Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Playlist of A Rocket Ship to Mars: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-ARSTM This Navy veteran approached me on the trailhead to ask me about the various rules of the park, possibly to challenge why I was there. While our talk focused on the man's openness to legalizing marijuana, it quickly became a case study about the lengths a person will go in order to maintain a belief. Resources: Thomas Paine, The American Crisis “To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.” Park Rules I made a tweet with a close-up of the picture from exact brochure page that was shown in the video: http://tinyurl.com/TW-AM-SE-PARKRULES Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Special thanks to Socrates Jones for narrating the Thomas Paine quote. Please visit their YouTube Channel: http://tinyurl.com/kotoszv Mistakes: After watching the video again, the man does say that he would consider less than five reasons ("I'd be happy with two."). But in light of his other actions and words, how confident are you that this would be the case? Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

San Antonio, Texas 15 November 2016 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 NOTE: While this conversation was Str_eet Epi_stem_ology (misspelled on purpose for search reasons), I'm calling it 'SE' so as not to clutter search results for Str_eet Epi_stem_ology. Playlist of My Top Five: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-TOP5 Playlist of Str_eet Epi_stem_ology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Str_eet Epi_stem_ology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA This woman recently moved to the area and was introduced to mal de ojo (or a variation of the evil eye superstition) when the heel came off her friend's shoe after complimenting but not touching them. Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Mistakes: Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

Blog Post | Street Epistemology is Open Source | Street Epistemology http://streetepistemology.com 24 September 2016 Street Epistemology is Open Source https://streetepistemology.com/publications/street_epistemology_is_open_source Music provided by Chet Hovatter.

Ep 078: Sarah & Kyle | The Reliability of Faith | Street Epistemology San Antonio, Texas 21 September 2015 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of My Top Five: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-TOP5 Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Playlist of Interventions Broadcast Live: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-LIVE Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Sarah and Kyle base their God belief on how they were raised (60%) and their experiences (40%), but when it comes down to it, faith is required to be 100 percent certain. In this long exchange, we talk about the reliability of faith, and if it was found to be inconsistent, discuss how that discovery might impact the confidence of their God belief going forward. In the bonus footage, I was surprised to hear Sarah say that I probably could NOT use faith to conclude that a sports team would win the next hundred games. I was expecting her to say that faith WOULD be reliable, which is why I asked for clarification. Perhaps the talk did help them better understand that faith was not as reliable as they had previously thought before our talk. The example of flying to Washington DC in June 2016 was a subtle nod to the upcoming Reason Rally :) Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Mistakes: Sure, the Dallas Cowboys don't play baseball, but doesn't that make the analogy even better? Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

Ep 077: Jamil | Muslim-Christian Ponders Prayer | Street Epistemology San Antonio, Texas 23 September 2015 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Jamil was raised by a Muslim father and Christian mother with competing teachings, which may explain why accepts neither one. He did, however, still believe in a God with 100 percent confidence, largely because of prayer. I was tempted to tell Jamil that he was a walking Outsider Test for Faith (read the book by John W. Loftus), but that may have just confused things, and wasn't really helpful to the conversation at the time. After approximately 11 minutes of friendly talk with an sincere focus on the efficacy of prayer, Jamil decided that 60 percent would be a more honest position for his confidence in his God belief. Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Mistakes: It was nearly 100F at the time and I was eager to take a break, but I regret not giving Jamil a few more seconds of reflection at the end of the talk after he lowered his confidence to the 60% mark. I should have also offered him a word of encouragement for being so honest and at the very least asked if he wanted to keep talking. Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210

Ep 076: Kiana | Killing Karma (short version) | Street Epistemology San Antonio, Texas 4 December 2015 More details about this talk below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210 Playlist of Street Epistemology: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-EPS Playlist of My Top Five: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-TOP5 Playlist of SE Breakdown Tutorials: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BD-TUTORIALS Playlist of Secular Exchanges: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SEC-EXCH Playlist of Interviews & Presentations: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-ST-TALKS Playlist of Bails & Fails: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-BANDF Want to Learn More About Street Epistemology? Read the Book: Peter Boghossian: 'A Manual for Creating Atheists' http://tinyurl.com/SE-PB-AMFCA Playlist of Kiana: http://tinyurl.com/PL-AM-SE-KIANA After Kiana selects karma a belief she was willing to examine, we spend a bit of time examining how she can maintain 82 percent confidence that it is any different than things just happening. Music provided by Chet Hovatter. Mistakes: Please let me know if you notice any mistakes so that I can address them here for self-improvement. Video captured using Go-Pro Video edited using PowerDirector The views addressed here are mine and mine alone, and are not necessarily views shared by members of my family and friends. Twitter: https://twitter.com/magnabosco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnabosco210