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Physicist and cosmologist Lawrence M. Krauss tells Alan why he believes teaching children incorrect facts about the age of the earth is a form of abus...
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-- telecoms want to welcome a professor Lawrence Krauss director of the origins project at Arizona State University you're renowned cosmology is.
And that's science popularized -- And authored nine books including the international best seller the physics of Star Trek -- his most recent.
A universe from nothing professor thank you for coming on tonight.
It's nice to be with you sort of virtually.
-- -- really I someone tweeted that -- wanna know what I was doing on Bill -- shown to know it was a physicist.
-- apparently you and I look a little bit alike.
Prop up.
-- -- -- -- good what you did a great job today.
Let's get back baskets and so you -- -- a little bit of a little bit of attention this week we're saying that.
If you are teaching creationism you're basically guilty of child abuse of my paraphrasing correctly.
That you paraphrasing correctly yeah Pratt and and it's it's raised a lot of eyebrows.
And today -- let's get into that a little bit give -- little context because well.
I think I think the the bottom line up -- obviously different forms of chart the future series child abuse physical child abusers genital mutilation -- you know children there's lots of security but anytime you withhold something from a child that puts them at a disadvantage.
That knowingly basically percent of its advantage and and hindered their progress as an adult that's some form of child abuse and and and we should I mean as parents we all do -- some small level of one way -- another.
But.
It's like withholding withholding education it is it is a milder form but like withholding -- -- Yeah bad for the child.
I was disappointed as I believe you -- when Marco Rubio the senator -- was asked if we thought the world was.
And if you really believe the world was 2000 years only wouldn't answer the question.
Three -- -- back in the Whitney weakened live in a society where senator -- you know I just don't know I'm not a scientist.
We don't we don't want -- while not just ridiculous suggestion in the world was 6000 years old when it's really format but here's all the I think -- maybe even.
-- in the same interview was was is like saying the distance across the United States.
It's seventeen feet yeah I mean that's the kind of mistake it is there's not -- there's no excuse to say gee -- I don't know and to be a senator and be able to get away that's kind of nonsense is ridiculous.
Well -- like he's appealing to a constituency he feels either needs now or might need -- -- make a run for president.
But at what point do we become an educated society in and really wherever you're announcing it I'd do it but I mean the fact -- politicians pandering.
They should know better right and their well -- On both sides that there are pandering and I think ultimately I mean look government educators -- an old saying that if they're going to have to hammer everything looks like a male but I think ultimately.
But the point is that if you.
We need to make public policy be based on empirical evidence and that's are both sides if we -- about it so I don't think side -- to make decisions but the results -- -- -- Should be the pensions of public policy -- we ignore -- reporter Carol president climate change and national security.
To gun control for that matter.
Yeah you've got.
A bunch of legislators around the country.
For example in Colorado where they want to have legal cover to teach creationism he got a bill sponsored by this representative Steven Humphrey a legislator.
In and in Colorado who campaigned on a promise to fight liberalism are bringing constitutional conservative measures the Denver.
And he wants a ban abortion he wants to do you do all these things and they want to teach creationism in school.
It's a shame that the bad negate the bat from -- to them about it -- its equipment to stupidity it's like that problem guy who was now running for the -- senate -- in Georgia he's an eagle ground committee and yeah yeah yeah yeah he.
What -- say said that evolution the Big Bang her lies in the pit of hell.
Maybe I mean this is just ridiculous we have that if I think ultimately it's fighting -- -- I think ultimately.
It's being equated with stupidity and it shouldn't because I'm sure there -- some.
There's some -- the conservatives that make that might be reasonable and it and it -- if they conflict that with ignorance about the real world.
Then then they'll they'll have a bad and it means all the other ideas can dismiss it -- -- The word creationism was a replacement for creation science -- which the Supreme Court ruled in 1987.
Which represented the -- religious beliefs and edit the header rebrand.
These -- they called it -- -- intelligent design.
And and they regret that you probably aware of this when there was a court case and over.
-- -- -- there was an old textbook which talked creation science it was garbage.
And then what when it was discovered after 1987 when that's -- court Renta creation science is religion.
That -- -- a -- a global.
You know -- -- where they replaced.
That would creations try to intelligent design to the people whose sale itself design and creation side well that just garbage can in fact in -- -- -- legal case it was shown to be.
And in Texas into an eleven.
They say they -- -- to teaching of evolution in classroom.
And.
It an act and they were they trying to me the problem -- what it's so sad that you can't talk the typical one of the greatest discoveries.
That scientists have made -- it's -- it makes me sad to think the people are afraid of science.
If that is what they -- thought to what people say we want to encourage clip critical thinking about controversial issues like the Big Bang or evolution and it's just like.
-- court and climate change as they try to put in the same oh -- they create controversies where there.
Aren't they try to aren't they act like there's equivalency like -- you have a number scientists say well there's something called climate change and then what we got our scientists who say that's a bunch of -- is if there's equivalency between the two sides.
And exactly and and the problem with -- you know with this idea of two sizes and science web site using -- And I happen.
And up and there have been on -- delivered first debate -- -- on -- video art school work when they're trying to -- to revolution had to sign that the least you got it from its.
The religious think they called -- Discovery Institute.
And what I got topic that this is -- give the impression.
That it's -- that it doesn't equal to its it was it was represented to be 101000 sign that on this side of the table.
And -- could always find a Ph.D.
To say anything it partly the public journalism.
Because you could always find someone.
That you find that the key figure that's flat and if you do that you make it all the big controversy we don't know -- -- -- spot so you can create controversies.
Where there aren't any and I -- journalists have to be more responsible not regard as well.
And these were you would equate these people with a -- -- there's I mean is pretty much the same thing right.
It exactly meaning evolution is the best test that theory inside the -- 400 that you're a neolithic people think about making scientists you know don't -- -- You think it might be wrong -- they're they're trying to protect their opponents -- -- we don't want to -- each other wrong that they get famous.
-- -- Are -- large crowds are directed the origins project Arizona State University you can believe in evolution and believe in god they're not opposed to each other illnesses earlier -- -- Are of course not of course not -- -- disparate impact I was on the stage with the with the biologists.
Who went back Ken Miller -- -- devout Catholic and and wrote a book on evolution that and that you know the point is that.
That what you can't but it what is it what it.
Wrong is when you force a religious beliefs to to confront reality and -- it and and and not be consistent with reality.
But -- you but -- but.
For those people who are people -- they -- possible they realized what the evidence of science is the evidence that way the world works and it is my belief in god requires me.
To believe Europe is 6000 years old or revolution ever happened better reexamine my belief in god.
Your book universe from nothing and he can answer this in thirty seconds but how do you create something from nothing.
It's amazing I -- not a recoverable book the fact is.
I guess the bottom line is that the total energy of the universe can be zero in fact we think it is.
And you could actually with the laws of quantum mechanics you could start with -- state and -- of a hundred billion galaxies he's hitting a hundred billion stars.
And more or you can even create space of time from nothing.
Our classical -- have changed and that nothing wrong with that it's called learning but I find it remarkable that this sort of the bill -- bastion of WW either a creator is.
It is some sense is not required you can create everything we see from nothing without violating laws of physics.
And it's fascinating in the main the main purpose the book by the -- isn't just about got -- to talk about.
-- -- revolutions that have taken place and understand universe could repeat what I want people that knew they'd be excited by the real world that's all other -- not be afraid of the real world.
-- over the idea that there's more than one option as to how we may have gotten here in the first place is more than one way to think about it.
Well of course there -- that when it comes looked the other thing about -- -- -- to some extent religion we don't claim to know everything we bit off the mysteries.
We don't know that we don't have a lot of the ticket touts what happened right at the big -- we could take it right back pretty close the big bank.
There are lots of mysteries that we revel in the mystery that's why -- science.
He working -- next.
Well I'm not e-book why you're the appliance of science lyzard yeah.
I am working on new book but you don't usually like to talk about -- -- Well I -- really intense -- again maybe when the book comes -- -- before thank you very much for your time tonight professor.
The proprietary sorry to tell you thanks very much large -- Florence and kraus director of the origins project in Arizona State University explaining why he said.
If you gonna teach stuff that's not scientifically based you're really abusing your child.
