Richard Dawkins: Author of "The God Delusion"

The famed evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins is well known for his international blockbuster, "The God Delusion". And you are probably aware of Dawkins’ "The Selfish Gene", in which he coined the word meme and which was voted by a Royal Society poll to be the most inspirational, influential science book of all time. His other books include "The Extended Phenotype", "The Blind Watchmaker", "The Ancestor’s Tale" and a two-volume memoir of a life in science. He now has a new work published: "Books Do Furnish a Life: Reading and Writing Science."
“When it is such an exciting fact that we can explain things, to paper that over with a pseudoexplanation, a false explanation of a divine intelligence, a divine creator is just so sad,” Dawkins tells “Freethought Matters” co-hosts Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor.
Learn more about the Freedom From Religion Foundation at ffrf.org.

[@88MIMIC]

"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom." -Isaac Asimov Dr. Dawkins has led a truly remarkable life, dedicated to science education, the debunking of bad ideas, and demonstrating the value of knowledge and truth. Thank you Richard, for working so hard to help society catch up to science.

[@larryparis925]

Do you have the citation for the quote? That is one impactful sentence. TIA if you can provide the reference.

[@OfTheGaps]

_"Dr. Dawkins _*_has led_*_ a truly remarkable life"_ Is leading. Otherwise, spot-on.

[@teardrop-in-a-fishbowl]

"..... to help society catch up" is an stretch, unfortunately. Many people reject science as foundation and matter of understanding reality.

[@lloydchristmas4547]

💯

[@hannibalbarca8521]

Dawkins is still alive, in case you haven’t noticed.

[@bobh5087]

Dawkins' and Hitchens' books (you know the ones) helped me navigate my way out of Christianity. For this I am very grateful. 👍♥️ It's always an illuminating pleasure to spend time with Dr Dawkins. Many thanks to everyone.

[@remlya]

Sam Harris’ End of Faith is also excellent. I consider those 3 books to be the holy trinity of contemporary atheist thought.

[@RodSciFi]

@@nikor6249 No true Scotsman...

[@EpicLemonMusic]

@@nikor6249 doesn’t really matter what a smart iron age jewish man said since his smartness in this century equals that of a 12 year old by today’s standards. We have long moved past the literature of the jewish iron age peasant.

[@henrymongrain9008]

@@remlya Don't forget Dan Dennett!

[@robbielex]

Hitchens and Dawkins helped me feel not so alone in the world.

[@alrdye]

Richard is so candid and easy-going while being earnest and direct. Always a pleasure to listen to.

[@JR954]

Always excited to listen to discussions with Richard Dawkins. He is a treasure to science and atheism.

[@claires9100]

Yes a true treasure.

[@veganatheistandmore]

I want to thank Prof. Richard Dawkins and the FFRF for all that you guys do!

[@sowmindful1501]

Your Username, brings me so much joy. I’ve been Whole Food Plant Based Vegan since 2020, and an Atheist since I cannot remember. Being a combo of the 2, plus being gay, can really feel isolating sometimes.

[@claires9100]

Yes. Indeed.

[@tommonk7651]

I was already an atheist without really recognizing it. The God Delusion help me put my thoughts together and recognize that others think the same way as me. It was very helpful and encouraging. And I’m glad Dr. Dawkins is doing so well after his stroke some times ago.

[@claires9100]

Exactly! That was my same experience.

[@jeanettecook1088]

I have a copy of Prof. Dawkins' book on my headboard right now. I intend to get all his books... but I love The God Delusion best. It is such a ground breaker. This is a good episode. Thank you! 👏👏💥

[@lloydchristmas4547]

I have a few of his books too, electronic and audio.

[@TheFeldhamster]

Get them as audiobooks. He narrated them himself and really well. Some are narrated by him and his then wife Lalla Ward. Such nice voices, both of them. Really sad his voice went kinda croaky after his stroke.

[@wilmagerrits9745]

Is that book also in Nederlands??

[@davidjohnson1678]

There was an old book known as the Man Deceiver, it actually was written over a long time and demonstrated how easily men are deceived and how they make choices. It a book written for all times and all men because deception is even more prolific in this era. It demonstrates how men listen to men and ignore God to their peril. Yes it’s the Bible. It put Dawkins writings in context!

[@rasat4829]

I love Richard Dawkins so much that I wish one day I could have the privilege of meeting him shaking his hand and giving him a big hug so some of his genius wisdom can rub off on me.

[@tonyakruid2095]

My husband and I are atheist and are raising our three kids the same, even though I live in South Dakota a very conservative state. What I find super cool is that my kids are very outspoken about being atheist regardless of what people say to them and also, how I’ve noticed younger Jen Z tend to be less religious… So I try not to lose hope on humankind

[@GebreMMII]

You don’t consider that indoctrination either? Why not let them reach their own conclusions

[@AFoley-es9iw]

So you raise your kids as atheist, isn’t this considered indoctrination just like the other religious groups?

[@RodSciFi]

Better to teach them to follow the evidence. Critical thinking is key.

[@jerryjones7293]

The beginning of wisdom is the rejection of superstition.

[@mikecardan]

It's always delightful to watch Richard Dawkins talking about his work.

[@LDP00011]

Excellent interview! Thank you Annie Laurie and Dan!!

[@jeanine219]

Thank you so much Dan and Annie, for featuring the brilliant, humble and elegant Richard Dawkins. I revere and adore him. His books are staggeringly unprecedented genius. You know, I often recall not long before Christopher Hitchens died, Richard Dawkins presented him with the Richard Dawkins Award in October 2011 on behalf of Atheist Alliance of America. It is so emotional when Christopher gives a short speech with great effort. Everytime I watch that, I really start to cry at a certain moment. That moment is before Christopher left the stage, Richard wrapped his arms around him in a full embrace, and had a look of profound realization, respect, compassion, and grief on his face. I loved him for that. I know he especially has missed Christopher very much. I included the video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bobQla2ngappra8

[@niviamaeva]

Wow! It is like I wrote all these words! I am speechless! I miss Christopher Hitchins so much!!

[@MrArdytube]

When I first heard the term “the god delusion”….I thought it was offensively contemptuous. Now, it simply seems accurate to me.

[@Max_Doubt]

"OK, Mommy. OK, Daddy. I will love God with all my heart. As long as I live. And I will pray every day and never sin. But, um...why doesn't God just kill the Devil?" *"Go to your room!!!"*

[@usmani790]

Ya, one day God will kill you, keep listening to his whispers and chill

[@dennismiddlebrooks7027]

i met Richard Dawkins at a freethought conference in Reykavik, Iceland in 2006. He is a very impressive person.

[@rasat4829]

Sometimes I wish Christopher Hitchens was still alive, I really, really enjoy listening to him. I probably watched some of his videos about ten times.

[@teardrop-in-a-fishbowl]

Why do you enjoy him more than others? I know why I do it.😉😁

[@halleluyah757]

I always feel like he was a valuable member and I wish he hadn't died so young

[@lloydchristmas4547]

We all miss his wit and courage.

[@lloydchristmas4547]

@@halleluyah757 too bad he didn't take care of his health. We lost a great thinker.

[@andrewjohn2124]

I didn't need any of these atheist books to question. I used the holy books themselves and just used my brain. You end up asking many questions because our minds are patern seeking and when things aren't making sense you wonder. I will give an example: Noah's flood in Genesis. When you read the account and the making of the boat, dimensions given and how it's really impossible to put a pair of every animal on the ark. The NT treats the flood as a fact so if you reject a literal flood story one would have problems. If you refute the flood, Judaism and Christianity fall. Now both religions are saying that these stories are symbolic of a truth concerning God that he judges sin etc. They are having problems with taking it literally. So yeah my advice is just read the books make notes and ask questions.

[@markcromwell1975]

I've read all his books they are fantastic. Hes a remarkable man it's just a shame we have to get old

[@bitwise2832]

The Clergy Project; the clergy who found their sanity. They didn't lose a thing. They gained a new life and perspective.

[@deborahoshea2507]

I live listening to Richard Dawkins. He brings sanity back into our world.

[@niviamaeva]

Same here. Sleep listening to his videos, podcasts and believe me I am so alone in this where I live. Although I don’t care (I really mean it) it is makes me question how on earth did I end up so lonely (belief wise)!

[@larryparis925]

Great to see and hear Prof. Dawkins. Many thanks for sharing.

[@davebacon6194]

nobody believes they have an invisible friend unless they are psychotic

[@jimmydunne7399]

Enjoyed your interview with Richard Dawkins. I like the idea that FFRF has two co-presidents. This could be a good model for all corporations.

[@alexmarkadonis7179]

Cooperatives are better, at least for some organizations. Competitive firms fare better with cooperative mechanisms. Status-based hierarchical non-profits might justify their hierarchies as schools do. Achievement and expertise might be worthy criteria for differential payment and shares of institutional control in some cases.

[@bisbeekid]

Have read most books these men and my utmost respect and admiration for both. Richard Dawkins (as well as Dan Barker) have clearly done more for the advancement of humankind than the Queen and the Church of England.

[@patbrennan6572]

That is an understatement of collosal proportions.

[@dalriadaskillen]

I’ve often thought that it is a heavy burden for Richard to bear to be the target for so many religious fanatics. He has my gratitude and admiration.

[@wesleysandel5299]

Every day I thank god that America is a godless, secular nation.

[@tonydarcy1606]

When The God Delusion came out, it was followed by a flurry of books by Christian apologists denouncing it as all sorts of bad things such as badly informed, not philosophically based, rude, crude and vicious, among other things. Richard compared these critics to the fleas upon a dog's back, (Yeats ?) , annoying, but not substantial. Funnily enough one of those Christian fleas was John Robertson of the Free Church of Scotland, colloquially known as the *Wee Free* . I believe to this day that Robertson still refers to himself as the *Wee Flea* . Other fleas were Alister (I used to be an atheist) McGrath, and John ("It seems to me") Lennox. Windbags for Christianity.

[@octem2251]

It's a really bad book, even for educated atheists “The God Delusion” makes me ashamed to be an atheist -Philosophy professor Michael Ruse

[@Raydensheraj]

One of the greatest defender of enlightenment values and evolutionary theory...

[@devoid5637]

I really appreciate how Dr. Dawkins always stays humble, and the most accurate possible, as the true man of science and knowledge he is. While many demagogues and conmans constantly brag about the many things they (may) know, he, on the contrary, tends towards suspending his ego, in a process of exchanging with his peers, and learning from them.

[@kentdi8366]

"Training for a new job as a carpenter or something like that" Great line!

[@tedeaston173]

Lovely conversation

[@panchomcsporran2083]

For anyone that needs cheering up, l recomend looking up "love letters to Richard Dawkins " where professor Dawkins reads out some of his hate mail. It's very funny.

[@noiseythunder9151]

Even the books in the Bible, OT and NT, were written by mortal men. If you find Prof Dawkins interesting, you also find Prof Francesca Stavrakopoulou interesting. Also an atheist, she's a Prof of ancient religions and biblical studies.

[@Anne--Marie]

Thank you for an interesting lead.

[@richardwilliams473]

Yes. Exactly. The Bible was written by mortal men.Therefore, I have come to logical conclusion that God was created by mankind not the other way around?

[@niviamaeva]

She is an amazing human being

[@beakyfree7023]

As a child lucky enough to be safe and healthy, I would have reoccurring nightmares about god. I had asked what god looked like, I was assured that he was 'faceless' in Sunday school. He appeared to me in the form of a tormented, robed figure with melted wax and dark resin where a face should be. The fear of god was a toxic fantasy, all children deserve better.

[@temujinay8831]

Before I found Dawkins' and Hitchens I though i was the only atheist on this planet.

[@g.reaper7946]

15 years of “The God delusion” on October 2nd later this week.

[@elkinsuaza6394]

Anything with Richard Dawkins, I watch it.

[@therealzilch]

I like your shirt, Richard. Great as usual. Thanks to all. Subscribed. cheers from nominally Catholic Austria, Scott

[@bobgilbert7362]

An inspiring and informative discussion with an icon among rational thinkers. Thanks to FFRF for "Freethought Matters" and all of the other invaluable insights provided to those of us who aspire to be genuine and fruitful freethinkers.

[@kedarrout1523]

Richard is an inspiration for all atheists. He is an absolutely amazing speaker with facts, wit, sarcasm, irreverence and abundant logic.

[@ImHeadshotSniper]

his point at 11:25 about "precautions with the pandemic has been identified with the left, and opposition identified with the right" i feel is god damn factual. of course he says its his non expert opinion, but Dawkins is evidently a social genius (he would of course humbly disagree) and what's happening right now is social hysteria

[@sarcasticscottsman8581]

Richard, have listened to 3 of your audio books. I love your work.

[@kamrupexpress]

Richard Dawkins will always remain an inspiration even for scientists. Every scientist should at least read him even if they don't fully agree with him.

[@amenerstugard1894]

Richard Dawkins, as we ALL *SO* *VERY* *WELL* KNOW, is one of the greatest people ever lived. EVEN greater than Adam. ;-) No-one can EVER thank you enough, Richard, for what you are doing and have done. NO-ONE. But we still try: THANK YOU *EVER* SO MUCH, RICHARD! :-) :-) :-)

[@punchline43]

People usually have more faith in their faith than whatever it is supposedly based on. It becomes too much a part of their identity.

[@robinghosh5627]

Mr Richard Dawkins is the Greatest Exponent of the Theory of Evolution Through Natural Selection...Undisputed Champion of Discourses in Science, Cosmology, Biology and God Delusion..Greatness Shines Through Forever ...

[@MrTageamu]

“Modern science is based on the principle: ‘Give us one free miracle and we’ll explain the rest.’

[@acerrubrum5749]

Love Richard Dawkins, thank you, Sir, for all you've done.

[@bluegtturbo]

It's always interesting to listen to Richard. May God bless him!

[@MrChristerj]

FFRF is more important than ever in the USA.

[@modestas3d391]

Richard along with Laurence, Neil and the great Christopher are the people that can literally be claimed to be real gods here (no relation to religion though) when talking about society and humanity as such. We're all won a jackpot just living in the period of such a people era.

[@vuongkhaiminh891]

Great Dawkins, love your courage your enthusiasm and your light of knowledge you bring.

[@yunsohn]

I respect him.

[@oreopagus2476]

And here's another question that to my knowledge, Dawkins has never answered DIRECTLY. He attempted to answer it in a 1997 interview, but he basically side-stepped the question. "Can you give an example of a genetic mutation or an evolutionary process which can be seen to increase the information in the genome?" So much for EVIDENCE, Mr. Dawkins.

[@Anne--Marie]

What?!? There are no faeries or unicorns? My dreams are in tatters.

[@geidiprimeproductions]

Rhino's are just fat unicorns. There, fixed ya

[@formerx]

Like the cold open. Nice touch :)

[@patbrennan6572]

My two favorite truth tellers on the same screen. There is a god. LOL , just shittin ya.

[@Thorum13]

Dawkins is such an inspiration!

[@idio-syncrasy]

Great content. Thank you

[@sundeutsch]

So finally it's Richard Dawkins as always. Fantastic.

[@thomasruwart1722]

Wait... Unicorns aren't real? Then what is this canned Unicorn meat I've been eating all this time? Ooooooo my.... it's SPAM! Well that explains a lot - like why I don't fart rainbow glitter like it says on the label!😈

[@harveywabbit9541]

Unicorn was a cow...try corned beef. I suppose there were also flying pigs.

[@stanley4615]

Thanks for light

[@merrybolton2135]

A lot of church's objections was because people were told not to gather even to pray . Just like a newspaper strike ,the fear is people will lose the habit and not need them ??

[@abdeton1899]

Where can I get the opening music for this show?

[@mistersurrealist]

Thank God for Richard Dawkins! 😉

[@clutchcargo2419]

So good to hear from Dawkins - the voice of reason.

[@colinellicott9737]

First is cool. I had a similar upbringing of religion to RD though ten years later ... it didn't take with me either ;)

[@bootskanchelsis3337]

I would be so star struck if I personally met professor Dawkins that I would squeak a few unintelligible sounds before I fainted.....

[@davidbanner6230]

I recently posted the following statement on a Dawkins’s website “Colonialism has aways been with us in some form. Without it we would not have any of the many nation states that make up the world, nor the civilisation that we take so much for granted in our lives”. I thought that was a complexly logical conclusion to say, but Richard replied: " What is so good about having 'Nations'? We have One World, One Life and One desire - to live the most healthy, prosperous, and peaceful lives we can - why do we need so many ways to divide our One Species? I would say that this is an extension of the ‘John Lennon’ “Imagine” nonsense, which is ok if people want to believe it, but for someone who lectures on the accreditation of scientific knowledge it demonstrates a delving into a fairyland that Richard always attributes to religious thinking?

[@librulcunspirisy]

Thanks

[@danielschaeffer1294]

I find fascinating that Dawkins and Hitch were in many ways different. Dawkins seems to have a thoroughly Enlightenment view of mankind’s destiny, while Hitch’s view was that religion was mankind’s first attempt to lead us out of a Conradian, all-consuming Heart of Darkness, a darkness into which we were constantly returning - in part because of religion itself.

[@craighorton9398]

"Human interaction and mutual respect. "

[@binasharma7128]

His God Delusion was enough for me to convince that the Bibles are no different from other holy books. His use of Burkas (The mother of all burkas) and their narrow cuts to describe the narrow view of the people who adhere religion blindly is something I share.

[@aminesaihe4844]

love you profser dawkinz from marocoo

[@dungteller367]

Professor Dawkins in an interview with Mehdi Hassan stated that Hassan was not abusing his children by teaching them the Islamic faith. Judging by the look on his face it appears that professor Dawkins did not want to upset Hassan who's questioning was taking on an aggressive tone. Of course telling children what they are to believe is abuse. The parents are clearly taking away the child's birth right of deciding for themselves. This also takes away their gods right to judge a person on their own merits. I am not trying to degrade professor Dawkins in any way. I just want to understand his reasoning concerning this event. I think he was trying to avoid an argument that could have no redeeming factors.

[@niviamaeva]

Absolutely trying to avoid an argument! He felt embarrassed for the grown westernized man believing that non sense and worse passing it on. Cringe level hard! 😞

[@davidbanner6230]

Considering our nearest star, Alpha Centore, is supposed to be four Light years distant, how would space travellers be able sustain themselves, and why would their interest be enough to make the colossal effort worth it? Also they will have destroyed themselves, by moving their planet out of a sustainable orbit, by the irresponsible use of crude rocketry… As we are in the process of doing…

[@kenmorgan1745]

Very informative

[@godfree2canada]

Legends

[@oreopagus2476]

In "The Blind Watchmaker" (1986) Richard Dawkins writes: "Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose". If living things only look designed (they aren't really designed) then how does Dawkins (or any other atheistic evolutionist) know living things weren't designed? What is Dawkins' criteria for "apparent design"?

[@bheehive4497]

When you feel the elephant in the room, just laugh. ( MY personal saying.) O Richard, don't stop writing . Then we speculate you have moved beyond us, darling...

[@joefiore3362]

All gods were created by man. No exceptions.

[@briansmith3791]

All Religious gods are false, created by man. They all interfere in the world. i believe in a Mind that does not interfere.

[@arthurdonachy]

If only there were people like Richard out there in the 60's. I believed I was out there on my own; teachers parents society all in step- I found Russell in the library," why I am not a christian" and breathed easy: the emperor really had no clothes on. Keep on.( disbelieving shit ,)

[@ZiplineShazam]

There may be a "God". . . it just isn't the "god" of the Southern Baptist Convention.

[@geidiprimeproductions]

No.

[@ZiplineShazam]

@@geidiprimeproductions No. . .in what respect ?

[@caseyadams4029]

good morning :)

[@privateprivate1865]

The great Sir Danny B. Is my favorite atheist debater.

[@sinanciftci9226]

Besides, if it's a uniform verb, it won't be without a perpetrator. A meaningful book does not exist without a scribe. An embroidery with san'at will not be without embroidery. Of course, there is a perpetrator of the truth that fills this universe, and there is a scribe, a nakka of the marvellous nukushas, the letter of manidar, which refreshes the earth season by season. Besides, if there are two judges in a job, it spoils the quality of the job. And since there is a perfect order from the wing of a fly all the way to the oil lamp of semavat. If so, he is the all-wise one. (At least) because san'at and wisdom are so urgent in everything that the sani of this thing should be able to be able to do everything and know every job. If so, if not, it means that there should be gods as soon as there is one. Those gods will retaliate against each other and against each other, and therefore it is a hundred thousand times better not to break this order. Besides, since the nature of this presence seems to be that it acts with a uniform order a thousand times more than an army. Stars, (Words - Risale-i Nur)

[@ohdehhan]

Thank you!

[@isidoreaerys8745]

This Man’s face will appear on Gold British Pound notes some day.

[@sharonwilliams7384]

Read al of Dawkins books! Well, not all now. LOL!

[@Anne--Marie]

Which would you suggest that I read first?

[@bre823]

Ummm, why is the TERF on here?

[@sebolddaniel]

The Ancestor's Tale is his best book, lots of neato stuff about neoteny in humans and lizards and cool stuff about tri and bicolor vision in primates depending on whether or not they were new or old world. I have been aping him all my life.

[@toni4729]

Hel was the Norse goddess of the underworld. Hell didn't exist in the Old Testament so where did they find it in New?

[@bastiaanvanbeek]

Great, but from 0:42 it sounds completely ridiculous. Like some sort of comedy or cartoon show. Try to be less stereotypical American in order to be taken seriously would be my advice.

[@johnnybates7580]

Darwin was anti-abortion. He believed in useful varieties. So at least Hitchens is consistent on that subject.

[@hipser1]

I value knowledge, not belief

[@eldridgedavis]

Excellent

[@bitwise2832]

I need a shirt like that! Evidence that style is a cultural meme.

[@danielschaeffer1294]

I’d like one of his world-famous ties, but I have no idea where I could wear it.

[@chrissmartorelli3119]

Before I knew I was an Atheist I always felt that religion was just another cult. Is there any difference?

[@patbrennan6572]

I have never seen a bible that was signed by it's author, or in the case of the bible, many ,many ,many authors.