James Randi and Richard Dawkins Interview
published by rembar 1 year 5 months ago • 858 views
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This is a clip of a James Randi and Richard Dawkins discussing the paranormal versus the perinormal, and testing such phenonomena, and the Million Dollar prize. I think Randi's answer to Dawkins' last question on the video is quite admirable and speaks volumes of his mindset.

This interview took place towards the tail end of the Amazing Meeting in 2005, hosted (I believe) by the James Randi Educational Foundation. You can see another clip from this conference, one of Dawkins giving a lecture here:

http://www.videosift.com/video/Richard-Dawkins-on-the-Darwin-awards-Douglas-Adams-more
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Anyone know which conference this clip was filmed at?

Regarding Randi's answer to Dawkins' last question on the video, I'd say that it is really the only satisfying answer he could give. If some paranormal phenomenon could pass the JREF's testing, it would cease to be strictly paranormal and would be shown as something perinormal. Obviously here I'm assuming that the JREF's tests wouldn't be flawed. This creates the potential for a sort of catch-22 situation, in that no phenomenon could pass the tests and still strictly be considered paranormal. I'd hazard a guess that's why Randi is talking about "defining words being a risky process" as the clip ends.

Anyway, enough with my pedantry. Great clip, thanks Rembar!


written by Baqueta  | 1 year 5 months ago | CH
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Sorry, I should have said more. I edited my original post to reflect the conference and other things.

What I thought was really cool about his response was not just that he did acknowledge the danger of the definition of paranormal preventing winning the prize, but more importantly his comment about the possibility of being proven wrong being "worth the million dollars". That mindset, the disregard for "me against you" in favor of "let's discover something amazing", is the kind of outlook that drives scientists and researchers everywhere.


written by rembar  | 1 year 5 months ago | CH
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Agreed, absolutely. I don't know an awful lot about Randi but everything I do know suggests he's a very admirable character.


written by Baqueta  | 1 year 5 months ago | CH
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Someone who tries to debunk ignorance and falsehoods, is in my book, of admirable character.


written by EMPIRE  | 1 year 5 months ago | CH
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*dead


written by HaricotVert  | 3 months 3 weeks ago | CH
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This published video has been declared non-functional; embed code must be fixed within 2 days or it will be sent to the dead pool - declared dead by HaricotVert.


written by siftbot  | 3 months 3 weeks ago | CH
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Awarding schmawy with one star point for fixing this video's dead embed code.


written by siftbot  | 3 months 2 weeks ago | CH
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Just for anyone who doesn't know, this was filmed at TAM(The Amazing Meeting), an annual event run by the JREF.


written by dbalsdon  | 1 month 2 weeks ago | CH
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interesting miscellany by calvados  • Dawkins / Atheism by eric3579  • The Ultimate Richard Dawkins Playlist by BicycleRepairMan

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