· Skepchick-ism, Skepticism, YouTube · 14 Comments · March 16th, 2011

New Video! Venom Fang X and the Argument from Popularity

Sponsored Ad:

About the author

Rebecca Watson

Rebecca leads a team of skeptical female activists at Skepchick.org and appears on the weekly Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast. She travels around the world delivering entertaining talks on science, atheism, feminism, and skepticism. There is currently an asteroid orbiting the sun with her name on it. You can follow her every fascinating move on Twitter: @rebeccawatson.

14 Comments

  1. scribe999

    03.16.2011

    I’ve just been trying to ignore the existence for VenomFangX for quite some time now…but the MS Paint graphics has made this takedown palatable :D

  2. Reverend Kel

    03.16.2011

    Whilst watching this video, I BELIEVED with all my might that Rebecca would remove her robe at the end, and sure enough, she *didn’t.* Therefore, God doesn’t exist.

    Obviously, we need more believers.

  3. NoAstronomer

    03.16.2011

    Whilst watching this video, I BELIEVED with all my might that Rebecca would remove her robe at the end Venom Fang X didn’t exist, and sure enough, she *didn’t.* he *does*.Therefore, God doesn’t exist.

    Shit.

  4. Zapski

    03.16.2011

    @Reverend Kel: Well, I did my bit.

  5. raygreek

    03.16.2011

    Thanks for the post/video!

  6. genjokoan

    03.16.2011

    It is a good look, for a Bondage fan.

    But why give that tool any attention?

    Speaking of Bondage, why has Randi not played a major role in a Bond film? Is he allergic to cats?

  7. Skepotter

    03.16.2011

    Black bathrobe = villain
    White bathrobe = heroine

    I’m glad Rebecca and Venom got it right. It might have been confusing.

  8. Joshua Zelinsky

    03.16.2011

    In general, the problem with the argument from popularity isn’t that it is fallacious but rather that it in general gives such weak evidence that any other evidence is orders of magnitude more relevant. This is all the more severe when we have multiple plausible explanations for why the beliefs in question would develop without any external impetus.

    Incidentally, when did VenomFangX reappear? His last disappearance seem to last for a while. Does that mean we’re back to the usual cycle? I wonder when we’ll get to the bogus DMCA takedown notice stage. That was fun.

  9. bluescat48

    03.16.2011

    One more point, humans have huge imaginations.

  10. James K

    03.17.2011

    Aside from your objections, for Venom Fang X to be able to derive the probability of God’s existence from the fact people believe in him, he would need an estimate of the unconditional probability of God’s existence and the unconditional probability of belief in God.

    Bayes Fail.

  11. DoubtingT

    03.17.2011

    No more “god of the gaps” now it’s “god in the shoebox.” A new meme in the making.
    Way to go, Rebecca!

  12. slxpluvs

    03.17.2011

    1. Belief in freedom is highly likely in a world where freedom exist.

    2. Belief in freedom is an abnormality/anomaly and highly unlikely in a world where freedom does not exist.

    3. ???

    4. Profit!!

  13. wombats

    03.17.2011

    Forget Rebecca, I wanna see Mr. Nomington in a bathrobe! wooot!

    what?!?!

  14. Damien

    03.18.2011

    Rebecca Watson,

    This is not surprising, since Venom Fang X, like the overwhelming majority of creationists has always been a self parody.

Leave a Reply