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Did It Really Happen? Jordan Peterson vs Richard Dawkins

Alex O'Connor | January 2, 2026



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– VIDEO NOTES

Jordan Peterson and Richard Dawkins debate whether the virgin birth really happened, and the difference between scientific and moral truth.

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Written by Alex O'Connor

Comments

This post currently has 47 comments.

  1. @chuckguy17

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    Also it's just factually untrue that science only emerged in Europe. In the Middle Ages, Muslim Arabs were far ahead of Christian Europe. Many scientific breakthroughs happened in China. In large part the Renaissance was a re-discovery of the science that was done with the Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians … only hampered by Christianity in Europe for 1,000 years.

  2. @Nathanmitchell1989

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    Dawkins: "Jordan, do you believe 4+4=8?"

    Jordan: "Well, before we can even begin to address whether four plus four equals eight, we have to seriously contend with what we mean by four, because numbers aren’t merely objective entities — they’re deeply embedded symbolic representations that human beings have negotiated across thousands of years of evolutionary and cultural development.

    And then there’s the question of addition itself, which isn’t just a mechanical operation, it’s a process of integration — and integration is something that occurs at the boundary between order and chaos.

    Now, eight emerges as a consequence of that process, but to simply assert that four plus four equals eight without recognizing the immense responsibility that comes with numerical certainty is, frankly, naïve.

    So yes — it’s eight. But it’s also much more complicated than that, and if you think otherwise, you probably haven’t thought deeply enough about what arithmetic actually means.”

  3. @Delorian82

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    Dawkins says the virgin birth comes from mistranslating Isaiah refering to 7:14 "young woman" as "virgin."

    Wrong. The Hebrew "alma" always means a young woman of marriageable age, presumed virgin in that culture, never used for a non virgin.

    Pre Christian Jewish scholars translating the Old Testament into Greek around 200 BC chose "parthenos" explicitly "virgin" with zero Christian motive.

    Matthew accurately quotes their Septuagint.

    It's not a mistranslation, Dawkins is oversimplifying to dismiss the miracle

  4. @nikosgreek352

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    I think Peterson should have stayed silent on the matter of religion. You cant argue for something when you yourself only half believe it. If faith helps him personally he is free to explore it or even mention it but he shouldnt evangelise for something unless he is absolutely certain and has arugments and proofs suited for debate. Thiel is christian too, he doesnt go on debates about it.

  5. @Whattawookie

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    The definition of "having the position of not having a position."

    Seriously dude, if you can't describe what you believe, what conversations do you hope to prioritize in the metaphorical substrate of our priori understanding of the innate human experience?

  6. @neildodsworth48

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    Isn't the fundamental issue here that of predictions. The Bible is used retrospectively to justify behaviours it didn't predict. Whilst ignoring everything it stated that conflicts with that aforementioned prediction. So, in brief what use is the Bible in reality.

  7. @mtoctrz9360

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    Alex and Philomena have the same accent. I’m imagining Alex asking the same questions Philomena would, just to deal with word-salad man who won’t answer a simple yes or no question.

  8. @ericray7173

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    I want to see a debate with him where the person debating Peterson refuses to move on until getting an answer to question #1. And continues to repeat it for the entire debate.

  9. @yodhin79

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    Peterson likes to use big words that have zero substance. He's a clown. His stupid argument that science only evolved and began in Europe is false.

  10. @rosstortora8403

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    WOW. I’ve listened to this chat several times in the last year, and every time I understand the point Jordan is making more and more. It’s true that the way you see the world, the perspective you have and the lens you look through, shapes the set of “facts” that you subscribe to. It reminds me of the quote: "We question all our beliefs, except for the ones that we really believe in, and those we never think to question.”

  11. @RonaldPfeifer

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    I would like to see some proof that science started in Europe, I find that hard to believe.There are ancient civilizations whom I am sure were engaging in some sort of explorative thinking and experimentation. Was not the discovery and replication of FIRE a science experiment?

  12. @rasslemaz

    January 2, 2026 at 9:27 am

    Believing the Bible is a factual account of an omnipotent being shouldnt be this hard. The fact that it is this difficult should be proof that it isnt one. Its a fairytale or in Petersons own words a myth, taken as fact by people who are unable to cope with life's realities and its difficulties, its a leaning post for the invalid.

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