Youtube and the Middle Way

Posted by Olly Robinson on 20 October 2008 | 1 Comments

Tags: Religion, Science

Youtube is a great service. It is arguably the democratic source of knowledge that formal knowledge dissemination outlets can never be. In universities and the academic system that I work in, everything has to go through carefully vetted processes of application and peer review that maintain quality of output but keep very close tabs on who and what can be published. In a world where one has to attract funding and grants while progressing one's career, there are strict limitations on what one can and cannot say. Science, certainly social science, is at times a frustratingly politicised process. On Youtube, almost anything can be said and posted and publicised, and this means that it is a great forum for debate. Here are two videos from opposites sides of the science-religion fence. The first video is of John Polkinghorne describing why he believes that science and religion are friends, and the second is Richard Dawkins describing why he thinks religion is all delusion. I am inclined to believe some of what both say, and believe that there are valid middle-way positions on this issue. All arguments get polarised, and the resolution always lies, in Hegelian splendour, somewhere in the messy middle.

Dr Olly Robinson