Professor Dave

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Dave Farina, in the flesh.
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I just want to raise the bar of scientific literacy in the world! Because I'm rooting for humanity, as it were.
—David Farina, on his Patreon

David James "Dave" Farina, more well known by his alias Professor Dave, is an American science educator and YouTuber. He received his Bachelors Degree in Chemistry from Carleton College in 2005. After this, he taught biology, physics, and chemistry (specializing in organic chemistry) at an accredited trade school. In 2011, he began to pursue his Masters studies in synthetic organic chemistry at Cal State Northridge, and completed most of his course on synthetic organic chemistry and finished on Science Communication to get the degree.

In January of 2015, he started "Professor Dave Explains" (named so despite Dave never being a professor at any university), aiming to create educational videos for all subjects with a focus on making them succinct and with animation that aids in comprehension. He later received his MA in science education from Cal State after pursuing it in 2018, as the education would allow him to make higher quality educational YouTube videos.[1][2]

"Professor Dave Explains" has over 193 million views and as of January 2024 has 2.82 million subscribers.[3] He has videos ranging from economics, psychology, and much more. He also has teamed up with Emile in order to create an AP Chemistry course.[4] On 30th April 2021, he self-published a book called Is This Wifi Organic?[5]


Views[edit]

Religious[edit]

So your God is a beta, wouldn't you agree?
—Farina, talking with Jesse Lee Peterson[6]

Farina is an atheist.[7] He has expressed a dislike for Christianity when Jesse Lee Peterson tried to spew his misogynistic rhetoric and in a debate with Kent Hovind[8] when Kent tried to cite the Bible as evidence against evolution. He also supports for separation of church and state.[9].

Politics[edit]

Farina believes that racism is a significant issue in America. He believes that black people are disproportionately killed by police officers based on the data he has seen. He maintains that there are many subtle ways in which America's issues relate to racism[10]. He also believes in a massive redistribution of wealth in order to financially assist those who are under the poverty line.[11] He has described Donald Trump as a "disgusting, narcissistic, ignorant, extremely unintelligent buffoon that has turned America into the laughing stock of the world" and has criticized him for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as telling people to inject bleach within themselves as a cure.[12] He supported Bernie Sanders during the 2016 presidential election[13]. His political views are not expansive, as he doesn't follow politics — preferring to spend his time on his main interest, that being science.[14] He has also criticized Israel for its genocide against the Palestinian people.[15][16]

Debunks[edit]

Perpetrators of hoaxes in all other realms, prepare yourself. I'm coming.
—David Farina, after making his last Flat Earth video

Farina has tackled lots of pseudoscience, including the Flat Earth, COVID-19 conspiracy theories, the Electric Universe and Electric Sun, James Tour's criticisms of abiogenesis, Suspicious Observers, Young Earth creationism and Pierre-Marie Robitaille.[17] Notably, Professor Dave was himself "debunked" by the Pierre-Marie Robitaille, an actual distinguished professor.[18] Recently, Farina has been exposing intelligent design proponents from the Discovery Institute.

References[edit]