Brian Blais's guest appearances

Brian Blais

Unbelievable?

The Local Maximum

Still Unbelievable!

Graceful Atheist Podcast

Dave Rubin

Dennis Crowley

Jack Dorsey

Chris Messina

Mark Ryan

Daniele Quercia

Dave Warnock

Jennifer Michael Hecht

Andrew Gelman

Laura Anderson

Peter McCormack

Randal Rauser

Scott Berkun

Matthew Taylor

Naomi Brockwell

OwlTail

Episode 84 Miracles. We welcome returning guest Brian Blais to talk about miracles. Andrew gives an update on the failed prayer to heal his eyesight, and towards the end of the show, she have a special appearance by David from Skeptics and Seekers.  For further discussion regarding the shoe on the roof NDE story that we raise and Gary Habermas likes to promote see the digital gnosis youtube video in link 1. It's a very long video and they talk about a lot of cases, including this one, including the detail that one of the accounts is 4th hand and 7 years later. Something that Gary Habermas fails to mention.  1)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TdLoGpIu3Q&amp;t=11263s  Digitial Gnosis Bad Apologetics series:  2) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/ Brian's blog:  3) https://bblais.github.io All about miracles from the blog:  4) https://bblais.github.io/search.html?q=miracles Why we need double-blind studies:  5) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/May/31/why-do-we-need-double-blind-studies/ The Mozambique study discussion:  6) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#therapeutic-effects-of-proximal-intercessory-prayer-in-rural-mozambique Original mozambique prayer study paper on researchgate 7) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45505841_Study_of_the_Therapeutic_Effects_of_Proximal_Intercessory_Prayer_STEPP_on_Auditory_and_Visual_Impairments_in_Rural_Mozambique Another critique of the paper 8) https://www.patheos.com/blogs/epiphenom/2011/02/truly-dreadful-study-into-effects-of.html Double blind accupuncture study 9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4352029/ The macular degeneration "miracle":  10) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#case-report-of-instantaneous-resolution-of-juvenile-macular-degeneration-blindness-after-proximal-intercessory-prayer The pool table "miracle":  11) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#jp-moreland-gets-a-pool-table Brian's responses to John McLatchie: Dubious medical procedures:  12) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2020/Jul/09/skepticism-and-dubious-medical-procedures/ On what would convince Brian:  13) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/24/ongoing-conversation-with-jonathan-mclatchie/ Bayes, prophecy, etc...: 14) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/18/bad-apologetics/ Resurrection vs Proton Decay:  15) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/17/proton-decay-and-the-resurrection-of-jesus/ Some comments and math on testimony:  16) https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jun/14/sometimes-more-testimony-is-worse/ Item on NDEs, which includes the shoe on the roof that we discuss. 17) https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1340&amp;context=lts_fac_pubs   To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/   ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/still-unbelievable/message

Episode 84 Miracles. We welcome returning guest Brian Blais to talk about miracles. Andrew gives an update on the failed prayer to heal his eyesight, and towards the end of the show, she have a special appearance by David from Skeptics and Seekers. For further discussion regarding the shoe on the roof NDE story that we raise and Gary Habermas likes to promote see the digital gnosis youtube video in link 1. It's a very long video and they talk about a lot of cases, including this one, including the detail that one of the accounts is 4th hand and 7 years later. Something that Gary Habermas fails to mention. 1)  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TdLoGpIu3Q&amp;t=11263s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TdLoGpIu3Q&amp;t=11263s</a>  Digitial Gnosis Bad Apologetics series:  2) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/</a> Brian's blog:  3) <a href="https://bblais.github.io" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io</a> All about miracles from the blog:  4) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/search.html?q=miracles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/search.html?q=miracles</a> Why we need double-blind studies:  5) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/May/31/why-do-we-need-double-blind-studies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/May/31/why-do-we-need-double-blind-studies/</a> The Mozambique study discussion:  6) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#therapeutic-effects-of-proximal-intercessory-prayer-in-rural-mozambique" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#therapeutic-effects-of-proximal-intercessory-prayer-in-rural-mozambique</a> Original mozambique prayer study paper on researchgate 7) <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45505841_Study_of_the_Therapeutic_Effects_of_Proximal_Intercessory_Prayer_STEPP_on_Auditory_and_Visual_Impairments_in_Rural_Mozambique" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45505841_Study_of_the_Therapeutic_Effects_of_Proximal_Intercessory_Prayer_STEPP_on_Auditory_and_Visual_Impairments_in_Rural_Mozambique</a> Another critique of the paper 8) <a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/epiphenom/2011/02/truly-dreadful-study-into-effects-of.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patheos.com/blogs/epiphenom/2011/02/truly-dreadful-study-into-effects-of.html</a> Double blind accupuncture study 9) <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4352029/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4352029/</a> The macular degeneration "miracle":  10) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#case-report-of-instantaneous-resolution-of-juvenile-macular-degeneration-blindness-after-proximal-intercessory-prayer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#case-report-of-instantaneous-resolution-of-juvenile-macular-degeneration-blindness-after-proximal-intercessory-prayer</a> The pool table "miracle":  11) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#jp-moreland-gets-a-pool-table" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Mar/23/a-long-discussion-about-miracles/#jp-moreland-gets-a-pool-table</a> Brian's responses to John McLatchie: Dubious medical procedures:  12) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2020/Jul/09/skepticism-and-dubious-medical-procedures/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2020/Jul/09/skepticism-and-dubious-medical-procedures/</a> On what would convince Brian:  13) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/24/ongoing-conversation-with-jonathan-mclatchie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/24/ongoing-conversation-with-jonathan-mclatchie/</a> Bayes, prophecy, etc...: 14) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/18/bad-apologetics/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/18/bad-apologetics/</a> Resurrection vs Proton Decay:  15) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/17/proton-decay-and-the-resurrection-of-jesus/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jan/17/proton-decay-and-the-resurrection-of-jesus/</a> Some comments and math on testimony:  16) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jun/14/sometimes-more-testimony-is-worse/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2022/Jun/14/sometimes-more-testimony-is-worse/</a> Item on NDEs, which includes the shoe on the roof that we discuss. 17) <a href="https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1340&amp;context=lts_fac_pubs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1340&amp;context=lts_fac_pubs</a> To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: <a href="https://hollykirstensongs.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://hollykirstensongs.com/</a> <a href="https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/</a> --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/still-unbelievable/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/still-unbelievable/message</a>

Episode 84 - Miracles with Brian Blais

My guest this week is Brian Blais, professor at Bryant University and IBNS, Brown University. He is the author of A Measure of Faith – Probability in Religious Thought and Statistical Inference For Everyone. Brian is an expert in Bayes’ Theorem and how it applies to philosophy, theology, and apologetics. In this episode, I take the restraints off myself and express the reasons why I think apologetics is faulty. Brian is the perfect guest for this. We bounce ideas off one another to articulate good epistemology. We discuss how mathematics and Bayes can be abused by injecting unstated information which changes the probabilities and ultimately the conclusions one comes to. We also discuss how beliefs have consequences. The current rash of conspiracy theories has had real-world effects. Brian explains how decision theory can be used to make difficult choices. Links Brian’s websitehttps://bblais.github.io/ Twitterhttps://twitter.com/bblais Statistical Inference For Everyone (Free Version)https://bblais.github.io/posts/2019/Jan/14/stats-for-everyone/ Amazon Versionhttps://amzn.to/2O2onzQA Measure of Faith: Probability in Religious Thoughthttps://amzn.to/37QzEKt Bayes’ Theoremhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayes%27_theorem The Monty Hall Problemhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem Interact Full Show Notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/02/28/brian-blais-bayes-vs-apologetics/?gaid=gap62 Deconversion How Tohttps://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Critique of Apologeticshttps://gracefulatheist.com/critique-of-apologetics/Apologetics Epistemology and Moving Onhttps://gracefulatheist.com/2017/10/02/apologetics-epistemology-and-moving-on/ Previous episodes referred to in this episodehttps://gracefulatheist.com/2020/10/04/randal-rauser-conversation-with-my-inner-atheist/https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/11/01/ian-mills-new-testament-review/https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/11/15/barrett-evans-the-contemplative-skeptic/ Attribution Transition Music and Dawg Biscuits on the moon John Monson and the Brothers Galaxy "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Makaih_Beats  Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/&lt;

My guest this week is Brian Blais, professor at Bryant University and IBNS, Brown University. He is the author of <a href="https://amzn.to/37QzEKt" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">A Measure of Faith – Probability in Religious Thought</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2O2onzQ" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Statistical Inference For Everyone</a>. Brian is an expert in Bayes’ Theorem and how it applies to philosophy, theology, and apologetics. In this episode, I take the restraints off myself and express the <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/10/02/apologetics-epistemology-and-moving-on/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">reasons why I think apologetics is faulty</a>. Brian is the perfect guest for this. We bounce ideas off one another to articulate good epistemology. We discuss how mathematics and Bayes can be abused by injecting unstated information which changes the probabilities and ultimately the conclusions one comes to. We also discuss how beliefs have consequences. The current rash of conspiracy theories has had real-world effects. Brian explains how decision theory can be used to make difficult choices. Links Brian’s website <a href="https://bblais.github.io/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/</a> Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/bblais" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/bblais</a> Statistical Inference For Everyone (Free Version) <a href="https://bblais.github.io/posts/2019/Jan/14/stats-for-everyone/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://bblais.github.io/posts/2019/Jan/14/stats-for-everyone/</a> Amazon Version <a href="https://amzn.to/2O2onzQ" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/2O2onzQ</a><a href="https://amzn.to/37QzEKt" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">A Measure of Faith: Probability in Religious Thought</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/37QzEKt" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/37QzEKt</a> Bayes’ Theorem <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayes%27_theorem" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayes%27_theorem</a> The Monty Hall Problem <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem</a> Interact Full Show Notes <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/02/28/brian-blais-bayes-vs-apologetics/?gaid=gap62" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/02/28/brian-blais-bayes-vs-apologetics/?gaid=gap62</a> <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/deconversion/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Deconversion</a> How To <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/</a><a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/critique-of-apologetics/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Critique of Apologetics</a> <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/critique-of-apologetics/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracefulatheist.com/critique-of-apologetics/</a><a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/10/02/apologetics-epistemology-and-moving-on/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Apologetics Epistemology and Moving On</a> <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/10/02/apologetics-epistemology-and-moving-on/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/10/02/apologetics-epistemology-and-moving-on/</a> Previous episodes referred to in this episode <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/10/04/randal-rauser-conversation-with-my-inner-atheist/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/10/04/randal-rauser-conversation-with-my-inner-atheist/</a> <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/11/01/ian-mills-new-testament-review/?gaid=gap62" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/11/01/ian-mills-new-testament-review/</a> <a href="https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/11/15/barrett-evans-the-contemplative-skeptic/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/11/15/barrett-evans-the-contemplative-skeptic/</a> Attribution Transition Music and Dawg Biscuits on the moon John Monson and the Brothers Galaxy "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats <a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Makaih_Beats" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Makaih_Beats</a>  Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/</a>&lt;

Brian Blais: Bayes vs Apologetics

Today’s guest is Brian Blais, a professor of Science at Bryant University. His approach to teaching statistical inference includes taking the Bayesian approach instead of delegating it to an advanced or elective topic. We talk about the Bayesian vs Frequentist debate, how to navigate the disconnect between them, and the role of imagination when discovering truth.

Ep. 119 - Advocating for Bayesian Inference with Brian Blais