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Meet The Author: Richard Dawkins

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Dawkins: Did Religion Have an Evolutionary Value?

04 min 13 sec

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Richard Dawkins argues that humanity's historical predisposition towards religion and supernatural beliefs may have held an evolutionary utility. "The rule of thumb: 'Believe whatever your parents tell you,' quite clearly could have survival value," says Dawkins.
Richard Dawkins: Has Technology Hindered Human Evolution?

02 min 18 sec

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Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins toys with the idea that technology might be hindering evolution.

Using poor eyesight as an example, Dawkins points out the "obvious survival value" in being able to "see an approaching saber tooth tiger."
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44 min 09 sec

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Chet Tucholski

Posted: 02.18.12, 12:15 PM

The Greatest Ape on Earth

Presque_Vu

Posted: 11.16.11, 11:11 AM

Stupid is as stupid does

Quote: Originally Posted by theknopfknows Yes thankyou, Richard was good but not good enough. The crowd fell into a slumber with his funny one liners, yet a closer listen, boulders on the road to Damascus. I will keep myself, though difficult, to the last example in his last 5 minutes, reference to Darwin`s Origen of species, Here is what Darwin Robert really said "There is a grandeur in this view of life, with it`s several powers, having been originally breathed by the creator into a few forms or into one;" So Dear Richard as true English man blinds the minds of the Aussies with jokes, and Poor accuracy. Here is one for you all, "There is no greater lie than a half truth. Plato. As for Darwin`s family tree of science is on record His great great grandfather sat with Issac Newton because He found the first caveman skull and donated it to the Royal Society, Darwin`s family has a long history of science awards. Last gem! historical Gem! WHY WAS ROBERT DARWIN AND ABRAHAM LICOLN BORN ON THE SAME YEAR SAME DAY--- YES EVOLUTION in action the Human collective Conscious. Therefore Dear Richard becomes poor Richard. LOL, thanks for that. This is the first comment and the best. You are a funny man.

ahab666

Posted: 06.18.11, 12:51 PM

who the F*k are u referring to ??

Quote: Originally Posted by logik you are a moron, stop spreading stupidity please. I wonder how can you plug in your computer? and you are lacking of logic logik - u might know how to plugin your computer but you are not very skilled as a forums author - are you ?

logik

Posted: 06.06.11, 03:23 AM

you are a moron, stop spreading stupidity please. I wonder how can you plug in your computer?

Lary9

Posted: 03.09.11, 08:42 AM

@southpaugh~ Good, solid facts! One point, however....your argumants will gaine considarible influance if you take a momant to use your browser's spellcheck. ;~)

Lary9

Posted: 03.09.11, 08:30 AM

@monologue~ Didn't you hear him? He admitted that but said it was usually people with a bad reaction to his unwavering clarity who felt that way. PS: Wait a minute. Is that a seal I heard in the background? It's Australia and it could be anything.

Lary9

Posted: 03.09.11, 08:27 AM

Childhood's tribal dogmas and the brain's imprinted patterns to accept guidance may get some later transference onto an 'in loco parentis' sacred agent in the form of religion. I've suspected this for a long time. Thanks, Rich. Amazingly... I say this all the time in defense of the good professor: Richard Dawkins isn't threatening, egotistical, caustic, bullying, shrill and/or pedantic! He's just very clear and many people are alergic to clarity! (He acknowledged the same thing in the Q&A. without any coaching or prompting from me.)

monologue

Posted: 01.04.11, 10:58 AM

I have to admit, he does lack that humility and openess that one would hope to find in a scientific mind.

Eulogy46and2

Posted: 12.17.10, 11:52 AM

He took a page out of his The Selfish Gene.

southpaugh

Posted: 12.16.10, 09:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by theknopfknows Darwin was a God man not an atheist. That's just silly and demonstrates a profound ignorance of the man's life. Charles Darwin was never religious though he often wrote in the religious sounding metaphor prevelent in his day. Everybody did that, even the most profound atheists of the day, among whom Darwin counted himself. The greatest friction between Darwin and his second cousin wife was the disparity between his lack of faith and her fervent belief. The release of Origin of Species was delayed for many years because he knew its release would cause a religious backlash in society, perhaps ruin his scientific career, and especially the effect it would have on his wife and their relationship. For all the apparent inclination for you to give authroity to superstition notwithstanding, you would likely preserve any stipling of credibility were you to have even basic facts straight about the icon you wish to claim as your own. Even were Darwin a man of god, his theory is independant of religious superstition and depends on observed, empirical and objective fact rather than traditional hearsay, myth and superstition which is the difference between science and religion. As time has passed, further research has proven his theoretical preditions true, confirmed his original theoretical premes and strengthened the accuracy of his scientific theory overall. Mistakenly using faith that Dawin did not possess to somehow magically demonstrate the superiority of faith in a sky god over scientific principles as an explaination of how the universe works is application of a logical fallacy, known as either an appeal to authority or an appeal to popularity, and proves nothing. Merely smoke and mirrors, diversion, sleight of hand.

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