False Pattern Recognition, Conspiracy Theories, and the Need for Well-Calibrated Perception
Alastair RobertsFalse Pattern Recognition, Conspiracy Theories, and the Need for Well-Calibrated Perception
March 2, 2019
Alastair Roberts
Today I discuss the dangers of poorly calibrated pattern recognition in biblical study.
Within this video, I mention 'The Pyramid and the Garden' by Scott Alexander: https://slatestarcodex.com/2016/11/05/the-pyramid-and-the-garden/. I also mention Gordon Wenham's treatment of the Flood Narrative: https://www.godawa.com/chronicles_of_the_nephilim/Articles_By_Others/Wenham-Coherence_Flood_Narrative.pdf.
My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/.
If you have any questions, you can leave them on my Curious Cat account: https://curiouscat.me/zugzwanged.
If you have enjoyed these talks, please tell your friends and consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/zugzwanged. You can also support me using my PayPal account: https://bit.ly/2RLaUcB.
The audio of all of my videos is available on my Soundcloud account: https://soundcloud.com/alastairadversaria. You can also listen to the audio of these episodes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/alastairs-adversaria/id1416351035?mt=2.
More From Alastair Roberts
The Family of Abraham: Part 1—Introduction
Alastair Roberts
March 4, 2019
The story of Abraham and his family occupies the majority of the book of Genesis. Today I start a series on this story, exploring it as a densely inte
The Family of Abraham: Part 2—A Dead Brother and a Barren Wife
Alastair Roberts
March 5, 2019
This is the second part of my series of videos on the family of Abraham. Within it, I discuss the background to the call of Abram in the story of the
The Family of Abraham: Part 3—Exodus from Egypt and the Departure of Lot
Alastair Roberts
March 6, 2019
In the third part of my study of the story of Abraham and his family, I discuss Abram's sojourn in the land of Egypt, his journeys in Canaan, and his
Q&A#112 Is the Samaritan Woman Like Hagar and Other Such Questions
Alastair Roberts
March 1, 2019
Today's question: "The story of Hagar found in Genesis 16 reminds me of the Samaritan woman in John 4. Both accounts involve a woman who is (in some s
Q&A#111 Joanna the Wife of Chuza
Alastair Roberts
February 28, 2019
Today's question: "Is there more significance than immediately meets the eye in the reference to 'Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager
Q&A#110 The Test of Jealousy
Alastair Roberts
February 22, 2019
Today's question: "How should we interpret the water of bitterness in the ordeal for adultery in Numbers chapter 5? Is this some sort of a miracle on
More on OpenTheo
How Should I Respond to an LGBTQ Person Who Says He Feels Good About Who He Is?
#STRask
March 2, 2026
Questions about responding to an LGBTQ person who says he feels good about who he is, and whether—since we all have sin in our life we don’t consider
How Do You Justify Calling Jesus the Messiah?
#STRask
December 18, 2025
Questions about how one can justify calling Jesus the Messiah when he didn’t fulfill the Hebrew messianic prophecies, and whether the reason for the v
How Could One Person Trust Another Person on the Topic of God?
#STRask
March 5, 2026
Questions about how one person could trust another person on the topic of God, how STR obtained information about God that others haven’t obtained, an
Kingdom Priorities: Following the Teachings of Jesus
Knight & Rose Show
February 14, 2026
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose discuss Jesus' teachings from the Gospels, emphasizing truth, evidence, self-denial, and forgiveness. They explore pass
How Do I Determine Which Topics at Work Are Worth Commenting On?
#STRask
January 5, 2026
Questions about how to determine which topics at work are worth commenting on, and a good way to respond when you’re in a group Bible study and hear e
Does God Hear the Prayers of Non-Believers?
#STRask
February 26, 2026
Questions about whether or not God hears and answers the prayers of non-believers, and thoughts about a church sign that reads (as if from God), “Just
Why Would Any Rational Person Have to Use Any Religious Book?
#STRask
December 8, 2025
Questions about why any rational person would have to use any religious book, whether apologetics would be redundant if there were actually a good, un
Why Does the Bible Teach You How to Be a Proper Slave Owner?
#STRask
November 13, 2025
Question about why it seems like the Bible teaches you how to be a proper slave owner rather than than saying, “Stop it. Give them freedom.”
* It s
Brian Miller: Fine-Tuning and the Multiverse Theory
Knight & Rose Show
March 7, 2026
Wintery Knight and guest host Terrell Clemmons welcome Dr. Brian Miller to discuss the the evidence for fine-tuning in physics and cosmology and the m
Can You Provide Verifiable, Non-Religious Evidence That a Supernatural Jesus Existed?
#STRask
November 10, 2025
Question about providing verifiable, non-religious evidence that a supernatural Jesus existed.
* I am an atheist and militantly anti-god-belief. Ho
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Risen Jesus
March 18, 2026
Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write the gospels that bear their names? The texts themselves do not name them as the authors and were published and
Did God Create Us So He Wouldn’t Be Alone?
#STRask
November 3, 2025
Questions about whether God created us so he wouldn’t be alone, what he had before us, and a comparison between the Muslim view of God and the Christi
Does God Really Need a “Pound of Flesh” to Forgive Sins?
#STRask
January 12, 2026
Questions about how to answer the challenge that God doesn’t need a “pound of flesh” to forgive sins but can simply forgive, and whether the claim in
Is It Possible There’s a Being That’s Greater Than God?
#STRask
February 5, 2026
Questions about whether it’s possible there’s a being that’s greater than God and that’s outside of God’s comprehension and omniscience, and how to ex
How Can We Know Who Is Teaching the Same Gospel Paul Taught?
#STRask
February 16, 2026
Questions about how we can know who is teaching the same gospel Paul taught, and whether or not Jeremiah 1:5 supports the idea that we pre-existed in