Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
#atheism #theism #apologetics #philosophy #philosophyofreligion #epistemology
In this video I'll explain what Russell's teapot is and four reasons why it is a poor analogy to belief in God
References
[1] R. Monk, Bertrand Russell: The Ghost of Madness, 1921-1970. New York: Free Press, 2000.
[2] S. James, “Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell, Volume 11: : Last Philosophical Testament 1943‐1968,” Reference Reviews vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 10–10, Jan. 1997, doi:10.1108/rr.1997.11.5.10.278
[3] B. Garvey, “Absence of Evidence, Evidence of Absence, and the Atheist’s Teapot,” Ars Disputandi, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 9–22, Jan. 2010, doi: 10.1080/15665399.2010.1082001
[4] M. Truzzi, “Zetetic Ruminatrons on Skepticism and Anomalies in Science,” Citeseer_ vol. 12–13, pp. 7–21, 1987.
[5] A. I. Goldman, “What is Justified Belief?,” in Justification and Knowledge: New Studies in Epistemology, G. Pappas, Ed., D. Reidel, 1979, pp. 1–25.
[6] T. Reid, An Inquiry Into the Human Mind, 6th Ed. Bell & Bradfute, 1810.
[7] E. T. Bell, The Development of Mathematics. Courier Corporation, 2012.
[8] A. Hájek, “Interpretations of Probability,” in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Winter 2023., E. N. Zalta and U. Nodelman, Eds., Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2023. Accessed: Jul. 18, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2023/entries/probability-interpret/
[9] N. J. Chambers, Reconsidering creation Ex Nihilo in Genesis 1. in Journal of theological interpretation supplements series. University Park, Pennsylvania: Eisenbrauns, 2020.
#atheism #theism #apologetics #philosophy #philosophyofreligion #epistemology
In this video I'll explain what Russell's teapot is and four reasons why it is a poor analogy to belief in God
References
[1] R. Monk, Bertrand Russell: The Ghost of Madness, 1921-1970. New York: Free Press, 2000.
[2] S. James, “Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell, Volume 11: : Last Philosophical Testament 1943‐1968,” Reference Reviews vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 10–10, Jan. 1997, doi:10.1108/rr.1997.11.5.10.278
[3] B. Garvey, “Absence of Evidence, Evidence of Absence, and the Atheist’s Teapot,” Ars Disputandi, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 9–22, Jan. 2010, doi: 10.1080/15665399.2010.1082001
[4] M. Truzzi, “Zetetic Ruminatrons on Skepticism and Anomalies in Science,” Citeseer_ vol. 12–13, pp. 7–21, 1987.
[5] A. I. Goldman, “What is Justified Belief?,” in Justification and Knowledge: New Studies in Epistemology, G. Pappas, Ed., D. Reidel, 1979, pp. 1–25.
[6] T. Reid, An Inquiry Into the Human Mind, 6th Ed. Bell & Bradfute, 1810.
[7] E. T. Bell, The Development of Mathematics. Courier Corporation, 2012.
[8] A. Hájek, “Interpretations of Probability,” in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Winter 2023., E. N. Zalta and U. Nodelman, Eds., Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2023. Accessed: Jul. 18, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2023/entries/probability-interpret/
[9] N. J. Chambers, Reconsidering creation Ex Nihilo in Genesis 1. in Journal of theological interpretation supplements series. University Park, Pennsylvania: Eisenbrauns, 2020.

![Humes Fallacy: Probability, Frequency, and Miracles
#philosophy #apologetics #davidhume #christian #philosophyofreligion
In this video, Ill explain the central fallacy in David Humes argument against miracles in Section X of his Enquiry Concenring Human Understanding.
Here is a video I made explaining the difference between Bayesian and Frequentist views on probability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWaRlVEIoDM
References:
[1] S. C. Meyer, Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe. HarperCollins, 2021.
[2] C. Taylor, A Secular Age. Harvard University Press, 2009. doi: 10.4159/9780674044289.
[3] A. Clayton, Bernoulli’s Fallacy: Statistical Illogic and the Crisis of Modern Science. Columbia University Press, 2021.
[4] N. L. Geisler, “4. Miracles & The Modern Mind,” in In Defense of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case for God’s Action in History, InterVarsity Press, 2014.
[5] A. Flew and R. A. Varghese, There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind. Harper Collins, 2009.
[6] J. Earman, Hume’s Abject Failure: The Argument Against Miracles. Oxford University Press, 2000.
[7] A. N. Kolmogorov and A. T. Bharucha-Reid, Foundations of the Theory of Probability: Second English Edition. Courier Dover Publications, 2018.
[8] D. Hume and E. Steinberg, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, 2. ed. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1993.
[9] B. De Finetti, A. Machì, A. F. M. Smith, and B. De Finetti, Theory of Probability: A Critical Introductory Treatment. Chichester, UK ; Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2017.
[10] T. Kelly, “Evidence,” in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Winter 2016., E. N. Zalta, Ed., Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2016. Accessed: Feb. 16, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/evidence/
[11] W. Adams, An Essay in Answer to Mr. Hume’s Essay on Miracles., 3d ed. London: White, 1767.
[12] C. Babbage, The Ninth Bridgewater Treatise. A fragment ... Second edition. Lea & Blanchard, 1841.
[13] M. Truzzi, “Zetetic Ruminatrons on Skepticism and Anomalies in Science,” Citeseer, vol. 12–13, pp. 7–21, 1987.
[14] P. Millican, “Hume, Miracles, and Probabilities: Meeting Earman’s Challenge,” 2003.
[15] R. Price, Four Dissertations. T. Cadell, 1777.
[16] Habermas, Gary R., and Mike Licona. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2004. Humes Fallacy: Probability, Frequency, and Miracles](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mCAwaZhCfzQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Simulation Theory Argument for the Existence of God
An argument from the likes of David Chalmers and myself. I dont think this will necessarily convince anyone that God Exists as much as being a useful exploration of probabilities and an interesting direction into Simulation Theology or Sim Theology
References:
[1] Nick Bostrom - Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?
[2] David J. Chalmers - Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy.
#christianity #simulation #philosophy #god The Simulation Theory Argument for the Existence of God](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nRqOo1wTaLU/mqdefault.jpg)


![My Issue with Apologetics
#apologetics #christianity
In this video Ill talk a bit about some concerns I have with the way some people practice apologetics and why I think this
You can also see @Randal_Rauser s video, though I have a slightly different perspective on these topics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpCsvFOi3xI&t=829s
References:
[1] Crossway Bibles, Ed., ESV: study Bible: English standard version, ESV text ed. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles, 2007.
[2] J. D. Hunter, To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. Oxford University Press, 2010.
[3] M. B. Penner, The end of Apologetics: Christian witness in a postmodern context_ Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.
[4] P. Feyerabend, Science in a Free Society. Verso Books, 2017. My Issue with Apologetics](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oZcObqMgrx8/mqdefault.jpg)



![...but what is probability? what is chance?
#statistics #philosophy #datascience #probability #chance #bayesian
In this video, Ill explain what probability and chance are often meant to capture. Ill talk about the differences between the Frequentist and Bayesian perspectives.
NOTE: There are two typos at 14:52. The average or expected side length for cubes with a face area from 0 to 1 should be 2/3, and the average or expected side length of a cube with volume from 0 to 1 should be 3/4. This doesnt change the argument but these are the correct values for those integrals.
References:
[1] E. T. Bell, The Development of Mathematics. Courier Corporation, 2012.
[2] B. De Finetti, A. Machì, A. F. M. Smith, and B. De Finetti, Theory of probability: a critical introductory treatment. Chichester, UK ; Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2017.
[3] R. W. Hamming, The Art of Probability for Scientists and Engineers. Redwood City, Calif: Addison-Wesley, 1991.
[4] A. N. Kolmogorov and A. T. Bharucha-Reid, Foundations of the Theory of Probability: Second English Edition. Courier Dover Publications, 2018.
[5] A. Hájek, “Interpretations of Probability,” in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Winter 2023., E. N. Zalta and U. Nodelman, Eds., Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2023. Accessed: Jul. 18, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2023/entries/probability-interpret/
[6] L. J. Savage, The Foundations of Statistics. Courier Corporation, 2012.
[7] A. D. Morgan, Formal Logic: Or, The Calculus of Inference, Necessary and Probable. Taylor and Walton, 1847.
[8] F. P. Ramsey, “Truth and Probability,” in Readings in Formal Epistemology: Sourcebook, H. Arló-Costa, V. F. Hendricks, and J. van Benthem, Eds., Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016, pp. 21–45. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20451-2_3
[9] H. Reichenbach, The Theory of Probability: An Inquiry into the Logical and Mathematical Foundations of the Calculus of Probability (English Translsyion by Ernest H. Hutten and Maria Reichenbach)_ Repr. 2. ed. Berkeley: Univ. of California Pr, 1971.
[10] A. Hájek, “The reference class problem is your problem too,” Synthese, vol. 156, no. 3, pp. 563–585, Jun. 2007, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-006-9138-5.
[11] J. M. Keynes, A Treatise on Probability. Courier Corporation, 2013.
[12] A. de Moivre, The Doctrine of Chances, Or, A Method of Calculating the Probabilites of Events in Play 1738.
[13] N. Shackel, “Bertrand’s Paradox and the Principle of Indifference,” Philosophy of Science, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 150–175, Apr. 2007, doi: [10.1086/519028](https://doi.org/10.1086/519028).
[14] B. C. van Fraassen, Laws and Symmetry. Clarendon Press, 1989.
[15] E. T. Jaynes, “Information Theory and Statistical Mechanics. II,” _Phys. Rev._, vol. 108, no. 2, pp. 171–190, Oct. 1957, doi: [10.1103/PhysRev.108.171](https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.108.171).
[16] C. S. Peirce, “Notes on the Doctrine of Chances,” in _Dispositions_, R. Tuomela, Ed., Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 1978, pp. 237–245. doi: [10.1007/978-94-017-1282-8_14](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1282-8_14).
[17] E. Sober, Philosophy Of Biology, 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2019. doi: [10.4324/9780429494871](https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429494871).
[18] S. Oladyshkin and W. Nowak, “The Connection between Bayesian Inference and Information Theory for Model Selection, Information Gain and Experimental Design,” Entropy, vol. 21, no. 11, p. 1081, Nov. 2019, doi: [10.3390/e21111081](https://doi.org/10.3390/e21111081). ...but what is probability? what is chance?](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sO8-ZS-upHc/mqdefault.jpg)
