Shout Out to Skeptoid
posted by MarieWe try not to plug too many other things around here. Except for all those times where we did just that. And by “we” I basically mean Pylorns and to a lesser extent Finley, who I am completely not throwing under the bus at all in any way, because I will shamelessly name drop and publicize anything I want to any goddamned time.
Brian Dunning is the host of one of my favorite podcasts, Skeptoid. This weekly show is usually about 10-15 minutes long, and it is jam-packed with knowledge and production value. Brian is a man who really does his homework, and backs up nearly everything he says with a footnote as if he was writing a thesis for my 300-level Baroque critical analysis class (Hey Dr. J!) The show is fun and easy to listen to, but it really does focus on applying critical thinking to a lot of pop culture and pseudoscience.
This week’s episode, “Did Jewish Slaves Build the Pyramids?” (answer: No) is a really fun one, and it addresses an issue I’ve run in to a LOT. I went to Catholic school for, like, ever, and had a lot of teachers who said everything in the Bible was true, and a lot who said it was kind of true, and one who told me to go to the principal’s office when I asked if there were aliens on other planets and if God would have to send Jesus to die for their sins too. The question of faith aside, a fair number of people who claim to not take the Bible as an infallible document will look you in the eye and tell you that the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt under Ramses II and built the pyramids, etc… etc… dead babies and raining fire and so forth. There are even theories claiming to give scientific explanations for the Plagues of Egypt. These are all, in a word, bullshit.
Give the link a once over, at least, and go back through the archives. He’s got over 100 episodes covering everything from Wheatgrass Juice to the Illuminati (that one’s a musical!) If you absolutely hate everything in it, I will personally give you the 12 minutes of your life back.
Tags: podcasts, science, sketptic
Posted in General | 4 Comments »
February 5th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
“And by “we” I basically mean Pylorns and to a lesser extent Finley, who I am completely not throwing under the bus at all in any way, because I will shamelessly name drop and publicize anything I want to any goddamned time.”
…
Okay, that made me chuckle. A lot.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
I thnk the bible is historical fiction in some parts – meaning that the science behind uncovering the past – they’ve been able to explain “pharoh” to the point that they think that it was not ramses but Ahmose I. I watched the movie exodus decoded – and it makes sense.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus_Decoded
That said – in the wikipedia they are arguing all the points made by the guy who made the movie. Which makes sense – when did people not argue about religion?
February 6th, 2010 at 9:56 am
Py: Yes, all of those things could definitely have led to the series of disasters that can be retrofitted to fit in with the Biblical Plagues. Still though, Ahmose ruled over 1000 years after the period when the large Pyramids were built. Building the pharaoh’s tomb was a great honor, and such revered work would never have been trusted to slaves, who in Egypt were typically war captives. Also, despite all stories from many religions tracing back to an Abraham figure, the Great Pyramid of Cheops predates monotheism by about 1500 years.
February 6th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Hey! I know the truth that you’re all denying- that aliens built the pyramids as docks for their giant pyramid spaceships and Kurt Russell totally kicked their asses! Stop believing in this “historical” pish-toshery!