By Alfred Lord Tennyson
Category: YouTube Channel
Debunking Determinism
Since so many people who commented on my video about how determinism doesn’t exclude God, it excludes human beings seemed to want this video, instead, here’s a video debunking determinism.
This is my first time using a teleprompter (way less work than recording the audio, editing it, then finding images and editing them into the video), and I’m curious how well this works as a format.
Here’s Determinism Doesn’t Exclude God, It Excludes Human Beings:
Five Book Recommendations
- Mystery of the Magi by Fr. Dwight Longenecker
- Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary by Brant Pitre
- Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis by Sigmund Freud
- A Monument to Saint Augustine, the essay by Fr. Erich Przywara
- Hunting the Hard Way by Howard Hill
What Makes Human Beings Unique?
In this video I answer a question from a viewer (on my video What Should Christians Make of AI?) about what makes human beings unique.
What Should Christians Make of AI?
In this video, I answer a viewer’s question about what Christians should make of AI. (It’s really the same thing that everyone should make of AI.
Basically, there are two senses of AI:
- Like us
- Something that does what we would do by intelligence.
All AI that exists is AI in sense 2, not in sense 1, though sense 1 wouldn’t be a massive problem if it did exist.
Unlimited Skepticism Destroys Everything
In this video I discuss the problem with unlimited skepticism and the proper limits of skepticism (remembering that a limit means where it’s good up to as well as where it is bad beyond).
Determinism Doesn’t Exclude God, It Excludes Human Beings
In this video I talk about determinism and how there are both theistic and atheistic versions of determinism, and how determinism only excludes (real) human beings, it doesn’t exclude God.
If You Have To Believe It, Maybe It’s Not False
A video in which I look at the relationship of pragmatism to truth as inspired by an exchange between Chris Williamson and Jordan Peterson on the Modern Wisdom podcast. I emphasize it in the video, but to be clear: this is a reflection on something that Chris Williamson said and something that Jordan Peterson did NOT say, but might have. Their discussion was just a springing-off point, and this is not any kind of criticism of either man.
Mary Sues Aren’t Always Bad Characters
In this video I look at Mary Sue characters in action and science fiction stories and look at how they don’t have to be bad characters (though, of course, they mostly are).
I’ve got a few posts on this topic, too, such as When Mary Met Sue and The First Mary Sue.
The Validity of Prayer
The third in my series on prayer in response to a request by a viewer. This one is about the validity of prayer: what prayers are valid and what aren’t. The simplest of the three topics, it’s the shortest video in the series (it’s only 24 minutes long!).
The Brilliance of the Song Saint Christopher by Devil Doll
Saint Christopher, by Devil Doll, is a really fun song to swing dance to (Lindy Hop, particularly) and it’s got some really brilliant lyrics if you pay attention to them. In this video, I take a look at them.
Distractions During Prayer
A look at distractions during prayer, whether they’re bad, and how to handle them. Also some discussion of how to pray always, and what it means to make your life a prayer.
What is Prayer?
A video made at the request of a viewer; I answer the question “what is prayer,” looking at three major types of prayer: conversational, intercessory, and prayer of thanksgiving.
Abandoning Pleasure
An answer to a question for a viewer on how to overcome being too focused on pleasure instead of on better things.
Everyone Worships Something
In this video I talk about how everyone worships something—what that means and what it doesn’t, and why it’s true.
Dealing With the Problem of Evil
In this video I talk about how to deal with the problem of evil in the world.
The Big Problem: The World is Temporary
In this video I discuss the philosophical problem that all things are temporary and how one can usefully classify all philosophical systems and religions based on their answer to this philosophical problem.
Why (Some) Women Are Attracted to “Bad Boys”
In this video (with a surprise appearance by my superdwarf reticulated python, Aristotle) I talked about why it is that some women are attracted to “bad boys”.
What’s Wrong With Niceness
A discussion of the problem with niceness when it is treated as more than the highly subordinate good which it is.
Lord, Have Mercy on Me, A Sinner
In which I discuss that referring to myself as a sinner is simply true and not rhetorical, as well as draw some lessons to when others (such as Bishop Barron) refer to themselves as sinners and how that should be taken seriously (but without speculating as to the specifics).
The title of the video is a reference to one of my favorite prayers, the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (This prayer is, itself, a reference to the publican in the story of the pharisee and the publican.)
Stupid Things Atheists Say: It’s Someone Else’s Fault
This one is about the whole, “I’m not Christian because some Christian is a sinner” excuse. You also see it from Christians, usually in the form “how can you expect people to be Christian if there are Christians who sin?” Of course Christians should be perfect, but the existence of bad Christians is a terrible excuse for ignoring the truth of Christianity.
The Mystery of the Magi with Fr. Dwight Longenecker
A discussion with Fr. Dwight Longenecker about his book The Mystery of the Magi. It’s an interesting book which goes into the historicity of Magi—did they exist, who were they really, where did they actually come from, how did they follow the star, and related questions.
Check out his books The Mystery of the Magi and The Bethlehem Shepherds, or all of his books. You can also check out Fr. Longenecker’s blog, or just visit his website.
How to Enjoy the Same Old Thing
In this video I talk about how to enjoy things that one has already enjoyed, without the need for novelty.
Stupid Things Atheists Say: For Good People to Do Evil Takes Religion
In this video I take a look at a really stupid quote from Steven Weinberg that I’ve heard a lot of variations of.
Psychedelic Drugs and Religious Experience
In this video I give some thoughts about psychedelic drugs and their relationship to religious experience.
When To Give Up In Order To Succeed
A discussion about periodically evaluating ones means relative to one’s goals, as it’s overly possible in this world to work so long at our means that we forget that they’re just means and take them to be goals.
Welp. I’m An Atheist Now (Satire)
A look at some comments I received to help people distinguish between confidence and substance.
The Sunk Costs Fallacy Isn’t a Fallacy
In this video I talk about the “sunk costs fallacy” and how it isn’t a fallacy and what it’s missing. I also look at some specific (mis)applications of it, such as in ending a long-term relationship.
It Is Not Certainty That Leads To Atrocities
In a talk with Jonathan Pageau, Jordan Peterson said that Sam Harris conflated the religious impulse with totalitarian certainty of the kind that led to atrocities. Peterson remarked, with dry humor, that this is not a very differentiated analysis. He’s right, but I think it’s also worth noting that even apart from that, it is not certainty which leads to atrocities. That’s a modern myth.
About the Wrath of God
A video discussing what people have meant by the wrath of God, and how this is another way of describing the justice of God. Also a look into how the crucifixion of Christ relates to the wrath of God, so God’s mercy can be just.
Stupid Things Atheists Say: You Can’t Prove a Negative
In this episode of Stupid Things Atheists Say, I take a look at “you can’t prove a negative”, which is the misapplication to the question of God of the true (but irrelevant) point that one cannot prove the universal non-existence of a (possible) local phenomenon.
Chris Lansdown 
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