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How the Internet will save civilization

David's iPad app "Why the Net Matters, or Six Ways to Avert the Collapse of Civilization" was recently called a "superbook" by the New York Times Magazine. For a taste of the argument, read David's article in WIRED or watch a video of his talk at the Long Now Foundation. Don't have an iPad? The manuscript is now available as an eBook.

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Why I am a Possibilian

In my opinion, our ignorance of the cosmos is too vast to commit to atheism, and yet we know too much to commit to a particular religion. A third position, agnosticism, is often an uninteresting stance in which a person simply questions whether his traditional religious story (say, a man with a beard on a cloud) is true or not true.

So I call myself a possibilian. Possibilianism emphasizes the exploration of new, unconsidered possibilities. Possibilianism is comfortable holding multiple ideas in mind; it is not interested in committing to any particular story.  If you want to know more about this point of view, see the Wikipedia entry on the topic.

Here are a couple of photos from my TEDxHouston talk, "On Uncertainty".  In this talk I argued why possibilianism is not only a hopeful position, but the most rational one.

photo courtesy of Blue Lemon Photo
photo by Blue Lemon Photo

photo by Christine Tremoulet
photo by Christine Tremoulet

And here's a talk on possibilianism that I delivered at the School of Life in London.

 

Comments  

 
# Dorina G. 2010-08-07 22:14
Dr. Eagleman - I have found this position very liberating! It puts beautifully into words a feeling I've had for many years. When I hear the atheists and religious arguing, I am impressed by the cleverness of their arguments but I never feel convinced that the larger picture is being explored. It feels like more of a go-team, us-vs-them, tribal exercise to me. Thanks for spotlighting the fact that there is so much more left to discuss!
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# Rosa Maria de la Pena 2010-11-01 19:31
I'd allways considered myself as an agnostic. But, now I think I might convert to possibilianism.
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# MataHari 2011-02-09 06:00
I just saw on the School of Life website that David Eagleman will be back to give another talk in April. I can't wait!
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# Aqua_Buddah 2011-03-24 16:02
I believe some creation stories can be "true" without being historically accurate. The Adam and Eve story, for example, can explain -- in fictional narrative form -- how, at a certain moment far back in the history of human evolution, homo sapiens became self-aware and perceived themselves, for the first time, as unique and separate individuals -- which in turn introduced feelings of guilt and shame and vanity into human consciousness. Dualistic thinking was born. Since then, we have all felt a little “not okay” from time to time. To me, the Adam and Eve story is true, even if the story is just a metaphor for that moment in history when we all became – for better or worse – human beings. To me, the study of both science and religion offer the most interesting avenues of exploration. Many religious people, as well as some scientists, have become too closed-minded and dogmatic. We can thank Adam and Eve for that.
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# Dede Tower 2011-04-28 00:02
Was electrified today reading of Possibilianism. I've been one for 36 years without a name for it. Have tried to discuss it with others to little avail. You've hit it on the nose! Many thanks.
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# Lost 2011-07-01 23:41
I'm a possibilian and I'm proud; My family is quite religious and when I hear the stories of god they seem to make some sence yet in the world where the existance of "god" is just false to some person who would laugh at that remark... to come to think of it I don't know where I fall in this catagory but your sence of logic, evidence and beliefe seems to persuade me to actually expect the unexpected.
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# Scooter 2011-07-07 15:49
What a greatly entertaining speaker. I love his description of the polarizing arguments between atheists and zealots.

I'm still an atheist, but I love his point of view.
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# Jack Davis 2011-08-08 16:25
This lecture reminds me of a great Family Guy episode, The Church of The Fonz. (Granted, Dr.Eagleman has about a 100 IQ point advantage on Peter).
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# Chadman 2012-01-03 00:59
I an agnostic leaning towards deism. I don't believe we can ever truly know the nature of existence because it has no end or beginning from which to get a proper frame of reference. We are likely a by-product of the possibilities within something so absolutely infinite that is it an exercise in futility to even try to understand, let alone argue about the nature of it. (being the inquisitive monkeys we are, we must try). I have the simple faith based belief that because of the infinite nature of existence, the possibilities so vastly infinite within it, after I die in the end of this life, some time in the future, I will be reborn "me" (whatever or whoever that is) again an infinite number of times.
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