Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett sit down and talk about what atheism means to them, the perception society has about atheists and the current state of religion as well as the future of religious views. The discussion took place at the home of Christopher Hitchens in New York in February of 2009. This video is part 2 of a 2 part, 2 hour, video series.
Would I want this argument to come to an end… I’m not completely certain that it’s what I want. – Christopher Hitchens
This video is for anyone interested in differences of opinion on the topic of atheism. All authors involved are self-described atheist, however they seem to come at it from different angles. A great part of the discussion focuses on the effect religion has on the world. The Four Horsemen of The apocalypse also debate the need for humans to have religion in their lives and the origins of religion itself.
Do The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse want religion to end for good?
Christopher Hitchens says no. He may be the only one on the panel with that opinion but he certainly argues it well. Admitting that his reasoning for wishing religion to stay in the world is partly selfish, he explains:
“Do we, in fact, wish to see a world without faith? I think I would have to say that I don’t. I don’t either expect to, or wish to, see that…
Would I want this argument to come to an end, with all having conceded that ‘Hitchens really won that round, now nobody in the world believes in God’? Now, apart from being unable to picture this, I’m not completely certain that it’s what I want. I think it is rather to be considered as sort of the foundation of all arguments about epistemology, philosophy, biology, and so on. It’s the thing you have to always be arguing against, the other explanation.
Because, I think, a bit like the argument between, Huxley and Darwin. Sorry, excuse me, Huxley and Wilberforce, or Darrow and William Jennings Bryan, I want it to go on.I want our side to get more refined, and theirs to be ever more exposed. But I can’t see it with one hand clapping.”
About The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse
On the 30th of September 2007, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens sat down for a first-of-its-kind, unmoderated 2-hour discussion, convened by RDFRS and filmed by Josh Timonen.
All four authors have recently received a large amount of media attention for their writings against religion – some positive, and some negative. In this conversation the group trades stories of the public’s reaction to their recent books, their unexpected successes, criticisms and common misrepresentations. They discuss the tough questions about religion that face the world today, and propose new strategies for going forward.
If you would like to purchase the DVD of this publication, please do so here. All proceeds from the sale of this DVD will go to the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust (Info on the trust here).
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