True or false the world would be better off without religion that's what we're

here to debate another verbal joust from intelligence squared us I'm John Don

Van of ABC News we're at the Skurball Center for the Performing Arts at New

York University two teams will argue that proposition from opposite sides one

four and one against they include on the same team arguing for the motion the

great great grandson of Charles Darwin author and filmmaker Matthew Chapman

by his side and on his side a philosopher who takes a humanistic view of ethics

master of the new college of the humanities AC Grayling opposing them and

here to argue against the motion is one of the most influential conservative

thinkers in the nation president of the King's College Dinesh D'Souza and his

teammate is the Rabbi of Temp of Sennai Temple in Los Angeles California David

Wolpy so this is a contest it's a debate and you our audience here at the

Skurball Center will decide the winner by the time the debate has ended we'll

have asked you to vote two times once before and once again at the end and the

team that has changed the most minds the team that has moved its numbers the

most will be declared our winner so let's get started on to round one our

motion is the world would be better off without religion and here to speak in

support of the motion AC Grayling philosopher put that on your business card I

guess but it's true in addition to your current position at the new college of

the humanities the number of books that you have written on philosophy is now

approaching three dozen yeah it's crazy but it's true ladies and gentlemen AC

Grayling thank you I must begin by asking you if I may to focus on what the

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