Video: Dangerous Ideas – Deepak Chopra and Richard Dawkins 2013-11-09

Video of Richard Dawkins debating/dialogue with Deepak Chopra (edit to save your sanity may wish to skip forward five minutes unless you like circus performance, and to 13 minutes 30 seconds unless your Spanish is good):

Richard Dawkins is at his best when dealing with pseudo science, whether intelligent design or spiritual consciousness. Sharing a platform with Deepak Chopra may seem at odds with a determination not to do so with creationists – because that gives legitimacy to a fringe element. Yet Chopra already has a platform whether selling you pills, best selling books or a meditation retreat with Oprah coming up – as such there was nothing to lose by engaging him and everything to win by challenging.

I only caught the summing up on live stream, but the old humans need spirituality for meaning trumps science giving us a purpose was played by Chopra. Dawkins pointed out “wilful obscurantism” used to thwart what science does have to offer.

The curious mind coming to terms with what we do know, getting to grips with how bizarre the universe really is without creating a cosmic narrative to fill a void in our lives and knowledge, is one I embrace. When Chopra mentioned using scientific technology to test spirituality it reminded me of studies neuroscientists are carrying out. Emotional appeal is what Deepak responds to on his website. His offer of well being perhaps is the narrative people want over the wonders of the universe. I want to know things as they are, not see them as I long them to be or pretend when I cannot know.

Hope you enjoy the video. Have avoided Deepak Chopra because as Julia Sweeney said he “is full of shit” in her excellent “Letting Go Of God” comedy stand up.

Edit 13/11 – could not resist adding photo courtesy of Dipankar: