Richard Dawkins Greatest Show on Earth

Richard Dawkins talked about his book The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (Free Press; September 22, 2009). In his book he lays out the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. He argues evolution is an indisputable fact, despite nearly half of Americans believing the opposite, and that denying evolution today is comparable to denying the Holocaust. He responded to questions from members of the audience.
Richard Dawkins is the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the author of many books, including The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion.

[@eddie123e]

I am superior to no other human and although I was born into a Christian society, I am an atheist. I have reached a point where my life is drawing to its close. I will of course live on in my children and my children's children just as I have been part of my parents and grandparents afterlife. I feel enormously privileged to have lived for a time on this beautiful Earth and its amazing, creative people.

[@bellarosalarsen1638]

Maybe you are no longer here. But I am grateful for testifying to what evolution is. We live forever because and through our children. Nothing could be more beautiful. Richard is the smartest, most eloquent, kind brain that changed my life forever. Forever grateful ❤

[@jamesward4191]

Is he dead then?

[@vinnyvdalidemonet8527]

YES!

[@wooddoc5956]

RIP

[@vinnyvdalidemonet8527]

@@wooddoc5956 ???

[@rebirth_mishap]

He could read a Chinese take out menu and I'd still listen to him

[@rondoclark45]

Have you watched "Love letters to Richard Dawkins"? Hilarious stuff.

[@rebirth_mishap]

@@rondoclark45 not yet but I'll check it out

[@mervinprone]

As you can see, the kung pow and the chop suey are two completely different species...

[@rebirth_mishap]

@God hates IiberaIs huh?

[@rebirth_mishap]

@castroy64 i like a guys voice so im a loser?

[@ianvischansky9039]

A truly enlightened human being. Thank god he was born in the digital age where his message can be spread to the masses.

[@jimmyporto4792]

Ian Vischansky thank god? Lol

[@skylermccloud78]

Ian Vischansky lol thank god?

[@tgstudio85]

Jesus, it's irony guys ;)

[@dennistedder3384]

Accepted colloquialism.

[@tgstudio85]

thanks for correction, that's not my native language:)

[@Hykoo79]

I fall asleep nearly every night listening to Prof. Dawkins. My favourite is 'The Ancestors Tale.' And it's another of the greatest shows on Earth. Great title.

[@GlowingMpd]

👍

[@JCASHES1]

So much respect for this wonderful gentleman ❤

[@toddcott9510]

Some Americans , not so much suffer from ignorance, they rejoice in it.

[@nigellee9824]

Let's face it, most Americans are as thick as dinosaur suit...

[@donaldcook2484]

One of the greatest minds of all time! Dawkins one incredible, knowledgeable man of reality and the real truth

[@richardlankas2050]

The only game in town, "The greatest show on earth!" A truly, truly informed and knowledgeable human being. Absolutely love Prof. Dawkins.

[@pedrosmith4529]

It took evolution millions of years to give us a brain and creationists choose not to use it.

[@atheismisawesomesmith4541]

RUSSIAN ROBOT, That TRUTH thingy is also the trademark of flat earth believers. Are you one of them?

[@kelseyadams4268]

Stan Lem “A mind is like a parachute.It doesn’t work if it’s not open.” Frank Zappa (R.I.P.) P.S. Science and Evidence Rules!!! Richard Dawkins rocks!!!

[@Jblah]

@Folk Aart lmfao its not that simple bud. Humans in general are stupid whether they believe in religion or not. Everbody has a selfmade belief even if your an atheist. And ppl like you wouldnt have the balls to say what ur saying 50 years ago. LMAO

[@markyounger1240]

How true

[@maximomoreno9955]

knowledge known to man 5500 years ago and then bungled up 150 years ago. knowledge thought to have been discovered in the 1700s that was already documented 4000 years before. All Biblical Science. You are a bunch of new jacks regurgitating old knowledge but twisted to your own meanings. Trash Caught up in your own little box "a minority" with opinions contrived by a bunch of lost scientist pushing lies based on theories with no foundation.

[@helenhollis3984]

Thank you for helping me survive my struggle as a JW

[@ksturmer5388]

I grew up JW, then went through a phase of Born Again Christian afterwards. Now, I despise religion with a passion. Enjoy your life Helen. Best wishes. Christopher Hitchens was a genius too. Nice to have better ethics than all of that 'doom and gloom' claptrap, anyways!!! Stay FREE!! x

[@helenhollis3984]

@@ksturmer5388 hoping you are well and wishing one day we can actually talk together. Let's hope it will be a reality.

[@helenhollis3984]

@@ksturmer5388 Hey, if you want to talk I am here for you.

[@ksturmer5388]

@@helenhollis3984 Nice one duck! I can assure you though, I'm fine. Once you know it's all a pile of lies to control people, you move on in life. I've never looked back. It's been a few years for me now. Since then, I've studied, studied, studied and smiled all the way through it all! I actually love life. I try and help other people who go through those weird and guilty emotions at first. Brainwashed is brainwashed in anyone's language. There's plenty out there! . x

[@helenhollis3984]

@@ksturmer5388 Understood. I am getting up in age, and it bothers me that I can not undue the damage I have done.

[@vinnyvdalidemonet8527]

Professor Dawkins is such a fantastic treasure to our social understanding. Helping provide freedom to our lives. (- religion) An amazing intellectual and tremendous author/teacher. I'm so grateful having discovered him & so much of his life's work. Still being consolidated & is generously shared through many mediums. Thank you Richard.

[@willmpet]

I first heard him when he was on a book tour for “The Ancestors’ Tale”. He was on Science Friday and was wonderful, talking to the call-in audience and taking their information. He was wonderful!

[@davidcaldwell2657]

A fantastic book. Of course no single book can explain all the details of evolution, but I give this one a 5 star rating.

[@gambar]

It makes me sad to realize that 50% of people just look at him, nod away and leave with absolutely no idea what he was talking about... Or not wanting to know what he was talking about. This man is Don Quijote battling stupidity of mankind, a Sisyphos of our times. We'll forever be grateful to you for opening (or keeping open) the eyes of the other 50%, Mr. Dawkins!

[@visualthinker9339]

When uneducated people wanted to fill in the blanks: we have religion

[@GlowingMpd]

👍

[@stephenking4170]

Never mind religion. Try Christ. All nature was created through Him, so he knows a thing or two. The bible isn't a science textbook and shouldn't be treated as such, but nevertheless it does contain some profound truths about the origin and purpose of nature and creation that complement recent scientific discoveries or that science is unable to answer.

[@stephenking4170]

@@chamicels god of the gaps is called abiogenesis and matter from nothing. By contrast DNA and the cell point by way of evidence to an intelligent creator. It is not god of the gaps to conclude that a painting was created by a painter or that a computer software program was created by an intelligent mind. When it comes to The Creator he has revealed himself in history. Also, so when you look at Christ and His teachings it is by no means some kind of nebulous god of the gaps.

[@stephenking4170]

@@chamicels An hypothesis that flies in the face of obvious evidence and has a mathematically impossible likelihood of actually happening is no longer a viable hypothesis. Knowledge of cell biology, protein synthesis and DNA complexity has changed since this abiogenesis hypothesis was first advanced. It is now dead in the water and those who hope in it have more blind faith than frog worshippers and flat earthers. Hence my tongue in cheek god of the gaps jibe.

[@jonathanrussell1140]

​@@stephenking4170 have you actually listened to any of this video?

[@538raymond]

Dawkins is brilliant. Read his books and you'll be a better person.

[@refirinaiu]

I just ordered a hard copy because of this speech. Can't wait to read the extended version of this speech. Proper education is truly the key to a better society.

[@somelivesdontmattersldm8776]

+Tyler Firinaiu give me an example of evolution on a transitional being....

[@somelivesdontmattersldm8776]

please give me an example of evolution so I can shut you down

[@refirinaiu]

+David Franklin I am not a biologist. As you are not a biologist. I take medical advice from a doctor. As I take law advice from a lawyer. As I take biology and zoology knowledge from a biologist/zoologist. I do not take biology lessons from some KZbin crackpot. Nor cosmology/biology/physics lessons from people thousands of years ago. Tell me why you do so I can shut you down.

[@refirinaiu]

+David Franklin still waiting for a reply

[@kedarrout1523]

Richard is a remarkable teacher. He has been consistently espousing the cause of science and fighting religious obscurantism... We need to keep up this tradition every where and always with a view to preventing any more territory to religions of all shades

[@normanthrelfall2646]

I am a professional Yes? I rest my case! Science is the search for Truth Science and lies should not coexist. The exact opposite of science is myth which is subjective storytelling in order to meet a specific need. The goal of science should be to maximize objective truth which is enormously helpful! Any theory like Darwinian Religion which purports to be scientific must somehow, at some point, be compared to observations and experiments; but if there is persistent conflict between theory and evidence, the former should yield to the latter. When science fails to recognise evidence against a theory and not investigate it; then science fails in its mission for truth. Testing a theory against evidence never ends. It doesn’t matter how long a theory has been held. If contrary evidence turns up, the theory must be re-evaluated and if need be abandoned; which should be the course of science. It doesn’t matter how many scientists love a theory passionately, if there is contrary evidence it becomes a myth. Public scrutiny is an essential part of science and will eliminate scientific bias and subjectivity showing whether a proposed explanation for the origin of live is consistent with the available evidence. Students and the wider general public should have access to information showing strengths and weaknesses in all theories relative to the origin of life. An average person with access to the evidence should be able to understand and evaluate many scientific claims. Science is not an inscrutable priesthood but it behaves like one! It chooses to disregard, suppress, ignore and with-hold evidence against Darwinian Religion. This would not go down well in a court of law if Darwin was on trial. Any person with reasonable intelligence should, with some diligence, be able to understand and critically evaluate a scientific theory.

[@mouthwasher]

This is another inspiring reminder of why life is fascinating. Dawkins is an appropriate window of learning opportunity. We need his work read and studied in schools.

[@vinnyvdalidemonet8527]

Well said...

[@ghytd766]

Love this guy, a personal living hero of mine.

[@baqirhemraj7639]

This guy who is your personal living hero is taking you to the hell-fire.

[@Ed-eq8ui]

@@baqirhemraj7639 Go ahead, worship an imaginary and "all-loving" God-Thug that threatens you to love him or face punishment. Enjoy your bronze-age fantasy.

[@skepticallyskeptic]

@@baqirhemraj7639 prove it

[@baqirhemraj7639]

@@skepticallyskeptic Prove what, that there is a soul, that there is heaven and hell, that we will be made accountable for our actions in this world, that there is god, that Dawkins philosophy is wrong, etc. etc. Why not ask Richard Dawkins himself for the answers. Ask him also what is the purpose of life and why we have been created. I doubt if he will be able to give a true reply.

[@skepticallyskeptic]

@@baqirhemraj7639 prove what you said is true. Prove that there is a hell and that richard is taking us there. Obviously that's what I meant. Why would I ask Richard those things? He isn't the believer, you are. Why are you dodging?

[@sydneymorey6059]

Would have to rank Richard Dawkins as one world’s great teachers. Gives me great understanding and happiness when I listen to his presentations. Cheers SBM.

[@GlowingMpd]

👍

[@chesterswortham5197]

Would have to rate Dawkins as the world's greatest fool as he will see if he keeps believing this stupid shit till he dies

[@arshadshafaei6032]

The fact of evolution is a heavy blow on the teeth of religious theories.thanks to Darvin who has been the pioneering genius of evolution.

[@mortal69gm]

Thanks, Natural Selection, for Richard Dawkins. :) We need more of this evolved species in order to fight back some regressive apes that believe they 're or they 'll be some kind of angels (fallen or otherwise) in some fairy tale land. ;)

[@ingodwetrustgachatuber2747]

stupidity is bliss for the atheist

[@stephenking4170]

What about the ones who believe fairy tales about us arriving from soup, and life being spontaneously formed from mere chemicals without any intelligent source for the information system that underpins life.

[@furiousinsects6386]

I love Richard Dawkins ☺️💜🌞

[@scotty]

Dawkins is a major hero in my book he ought to be given the highest honors from around the world.

[@stephenking4170]

I like Richard and his passion for science. But as for awards, I think he should also be given the "Wilfully Deluded Award" . He puts so much effort into running away from the evidence of God.

[@chesterswortham5197]

For what being so stupid to actually believe this crap

[@gohumberto]

​@@stephenking4170The evidence for which God? There are hundreds of supposed Gods. Every single one of them relies on the same "evidence", the testimony of some stone-age goat-herds.

[@stephenking4170]

Total nonsense. By definition there is only one Creator of all things. Anything else is fiction, man made imaginings, just as atheism is. @@gohumberto

[@ChristopherTheBanana]

Biology is science, Psychology is science, Sociology is science. All of them can explain where our morals come from

[@MsKariSmith]

A wonderful talk by a wonderfully brilliant man. So happy to listen to all his speeches. One is always a better and enlightened person for taking the time to listen. The world is a better place for people like Darwin, Dawkin, Hitchens just to name a few. I love his ending; The Greatest Show on Earth

[@markdalvani]

Even Indiana Loves that there are people like you. I am a graduate of Purdue and It is great that you stand up.

[@markcarmichael1425]

fascinating , a compliment to the human mind...for those of us who revel in understanding..and have the appetite for truth....

[@Thalamea7]

nightwish brought me here...

[@VikramShankarMusic]

Thalamea7 What a phenomenal song!

[@Thalamea7]

no words to dercribe it, really!!!

[@Steph9737]

You're not alone. What a masterpiece they've done!

[@jjptech]

Thalamea7 Trying to understand a single grain of sand

[@brazwen]

Thalamea7 What song mentions Dawkins? I want to check it out. Thanks.

[@KbcBerlin]

I am of a similar generation to Richard Dawkins. In my youth in the 60s the way religion was going, at least in GB I thought it would be invisible by the time I reached my pension. Many people of my generation have been dismayed by many developments which seemed highly unlikely from the 60 view. Social economic, and commercial. The march of asocial capitalism, one shock, and cultural deterioration. Religion, and superstition the other. Big business, commercialised religion in the US is probably at the heart of this cancer of unreason, and inhumanity.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

Its dying out everywhere . What you are seeing are the last dying flourishes . However another problem arrises . People are leaveing religion but that is no guarantor that they seek a reasonable rational understanding of existence in its stead .

[@chamicels]

@@georgeelmerdenbrough6906 I agree. It's much easier following the crowd,

[@katesandford749]

Dear Richard Dawkins love reading your books but I lovedon't reading the greatest show on earth it is (before our very eyes)If you would like to put that way :) but really your books really intreast me and I must say you are a very intelligent man. Your my favourite author ever. Thank you very much cincerly a very big fan :)

[@domoniquemcconnell8241]

Y

[@Imustfly]

He's GOT to be one of my favorite humans, bar none. If my wife is reading this,....I love you.

[@user-hb1mw8qg4y]

Oddly, I was educated in Catholic schools but we had many brilliant teachers and I was taught Evolution. Sixty years ago my biology classroom had a large model of RNA. Very lucky.

[@67lomeli]

Thanks for posting.

[@tubefreakmuva]

haha, gotta luv dawkins, just a true gent

[@ghytd766]

The people that dont need this great talk are listening to it. People that need it never will. As a human society , we need to attack (educate) confirmation bias and other psychological hurdles as a ROOT problem for our species.

[@pooddescrewch8718]

Not so ...time and time again people who are truly convinc3d they are right in their conviction will argue in good faith only to find they are wrong .

[@alanemish243]

This is the enlightenment what we need

[@maxrupo]

Just to verbalize a thought I had listening to Dawkins in this speech; there's no drive to get more complexity; I was pleased to hear that. Also because complexity, as long as I know, once reached and passed a certain threshold (always different for every species and/or environment in wich they live), becomes more a problem than a resource. From that threshold on, the more complex you get, the less resilient you get. And that applies not only to individuals, but to entire groups, tribes, communities, civilizations, and eventually species. And that's probably one reason why extintions are so common (even though we made them much more common...). Anyway, goosebumps. Always, listening to Dawkins.

[@normanthrelfall2646]

All theology laced with bias and prejudice toward a God they cannot disprove exists!

[@taongatakaro8411]

Cool observation! Thanks for sharing that 😊

[@HotSauce147]

The agricultural revolution (the time when humans first started farming and raising livestock) occurred around 10,000 BCE, 6000 years 44% of Americans seem to believe the world started.

[@cjtjets5941]

44% of this country has bought in to the sheer ignorance of religion . Except for the murder,rape,incest,and treatment of women, you know if you rape her you must marry her ,oh yeah can't forget slavery the bible even has directions on how to treat them

[@bellarosalarsen1638]

I miss you so much, Richard. can't wait to find my place, and invite to my brain again. You have changed everything. And I adore that you did that. It was like finding home, when I found you. I bow to you, Richard. Thank you. Even my babies know you, admire you, are empowered because of the freedom you brought to our lives. Forever eternal.

[@davidbanner6230]

@bellarosalarsen1638 : it just shows the shallowness that many people have to live with...

[@drew8235]

22:34 That "want to bet?" was savage, I love it.

[@dgh469]

delightful ...

[@Len44039]

The most common prayer I've learned from Christianity: With greatest fervor and sanctimony, close eyes tightly, place hands over ears, say the following in loudest voice... La la la la la la la la la la la la la la...

[@jadenalmeida8592]

Great to see Dawkins talking on something he's educated in

[@IamAnthonological]

He has to be the smartest person alive I think.

[@jawaharrathore7833]

I would love to see a documentary on evolution on pattern of Cosmos by Dawkins! He is doing nice work!

[@BeliasLP]

+Jawahar Rathore agreed. prof. dr. richard dawkins has a beautiful calm voice and knowledge, i could listen for ages.

[@somelivesdontmattersldm8776]

give me an example of evolution in a transitional Being such as the neanderthal

[@somelivesdontmattersldm8776]

Evidence please

[@BeliasLP]

i dont need to give YOU an example. you can research it yourself, i did research it myself in order to confirm it. i can assure you, evolution is a fact. if you are too stupid or too lazy to research it properly, thats on you.

[@manonthetoilet]

evolution is a total fake!

[@oneandonlyjaybee]

It's crazy that for so long we selectively bred domesticated and agricultural animals for certain characteristics, knowing what we were doing and why, yet it took until Darwin to realise what was going on in nature.

[@Jake007123]

Well, maybe because the selector was intelligent (humans), it could be possible they thought it happened the same with the rest of the animals, but the selector would be the gods, which everyone used to believe they exist. Not to mention that no one would have thought that a whale is a mammal, or that a fish is related to us, etc. It's like It is simple and elegant now, but it needed a genius first to expand our understanding first, kinda like the theory of gravity.

[@cjtjets5941]

@God hates IiberaIs I would stake my life on the fact that you have never read a book on evolution. It's quite clear you took the lazy path as usual (adam and eve ,talking snakes,magic apples,) forget a mans life of scientific studies that so far have been proven to be correct. You should come here armed with studies that will show proof of all the science that refutes evolution because that would no doubt win you a Nobel prize . By the way evolution has been proven it's called theory but those not experienced with science think that when when you say theory it's just a hunch . You believe in gravitational theory,germ theory and so on but because it comes up against ancient writings by who knows who and who knows when in the holy book (take your pick) then it must be condemned as blasphemy and rejected. It's the easy way out to believe without doing your due diligence and picking up a couple of books by real scientists on the subject. How great would it be to join a discussion and know what you're talking about and give the impression that you're a person who learns about a subject before they start making comments on it and not speaking from ignorance

[@pooddescrewch8718]

But its not intelligently directed in nature . You haven't grasped the meaning of natural selection if you can feel justified in your statement

[@BareFootDuck]

I will continue looking forward moreso than looking back.

[@jensgessner6167]

Technically yes. But the same rational thinking process that makes people reject belief in a deity should also make them reject belief in fairies and devils.

[@andreyromashchenko8967]

45:29 - From-Some-Thing-Else. (I'm not a musician but) that's first 4 notes of NUMB by Linkin Park.

[@TheSkyWhale]

Andrey Romashchenko hoooow and whyyyy did you notice that 😂 it’s so true

[@andrerichardson]

Du suing du duhhh (du duh) You’re right 🤣

[@ophiolatreia93]

Moronic observation

[@andreyromashchenko8967]

@@ophiolatreia93 "moronic observation" is a moronic comment.

[@ophiolatreia93]

@@andreyromashchenko8967 cool story bro

[@JackeryPumpkin]

While Newton was a genius and it would've obviously been a treat to speak and learn from him (in certain aspects), he was also religious.

[@ShadowZZZ]

not uncommon at that time. the also vainly read the bible in search for truths about the real world.

[@thecarpy]

Yes, AND he would have been NEXT LEVEL GENIUS if he had not been religious. He gave-in to religion and mysticism.

[@tomato12terra]

quite easily the most important scientist in life sciences since Darwin; I learned so much from RD and his boks

[@carryall69]

oh, i never saw this one. thanx for the upload

[@goateaterserbia]

To all our theist friends:you can thank your beliefs you're wrong.

[@thecrossofjesusisthesimple4750]

♥†◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥►✞◄♥ TOOLS what are tools ? this computer is a tool I need it to see the internet and with it I can explore black holes . scientists must first testify to the reality of them and they use tools RIGHT ?. I can't see or experience black holes , can you ? PROOF OF GOD we are here ,Christians are here Christians testify of God and we don't leave out God's judgment of Hell for fools that reject God for a false religion Christians have tools to know the truth of God and his judgment . SO I TESTIFY THAT ATHEISM IS FALSE RELIGION and ATHEISTS will find HELL a REALITY. Im truly sorry for you fools but all I can do is point to the tools you need to find truth ☛✞ God's holy word in the bible .. Rejecting truth will be an eternity inside the black hole ask a scientist how hot HELL is ...... ☛† ↨ ┼ ↓ ♥ ↑ → † ↑ ← CHOOSE WISELY → ✞

[@goateaterserbia]

You are using circular logic in your whole "bible is the word of god therefor it is truth,because it seas so in the bible,witch is the word of god therefor... etc"-this is a loop,and a fallacy,and also you make no sense what so ever overall...The cross is a tool for torture,and you use it as a symbol for your cult...That is saying a lot about the cult you are in...Nothing good,i might add... Man made tool's,but man is not a tool...So i dont see how that proves anything other then the fact that some ape species make and use tools...Also,with people like judging who will go to hell,what do we need a god for anyway,right... xD Lastly,atheism is not,I repeat,is NOT a religion,it is disbelief in superstition,such as gods,elves,trolls... One could argue that it is a philosophy,but really its not even that,its just disbelief in the unproven... Good luck man,hope you get well soon... :) THE CROSS OF JESUS IS THE SIMPLE TRUTH

[@thecrossofjesusisthesimple4750]

Goat Eater Yes that the bible is circular , but what truth is not ? It was not the bible that proved God to me , it was God that proved the bible to me . I think yes the cross the cross is a symbol of torture The religious atheist tortured my lord on it so that he could save me from everlasting torture in hell and while he hung there he pleaded for his father to take the cup away from him that cup is judgement it will be no pleasure for him to send so many to Hell but he is rigorous and he will follow the plan ! Well he is THE plan to save and to judge .For whomsoever will or will not . Atheism can be proven to be religion with one question .Is a doctrine about my Lord religion ?

[@goateaterserbia]

Again,you make no sense...And "gowd proved gowd" is circular too:"God is the proof of god,and god has shown me the proof of god witch is god that has shown me the proof...etc You just add your self in the mix to make a false witness by saying that god has shown you...Nobody takes your word for it,you can believe in that... Its the same as the logic loop in all the other scriptures of all the religions of humanity... Prove your god... summon him...command the dead back to life ... do a miracle... pray stuff into being... You know,real proof,and then we will can talk proof... P.s. "The religious atheist tortured my lord"-WTF... it was the Romans and the Jews you dense twat btw atheists by definition are not religious... Learn English... THE CROSS OF JESUS IS THE SIMPLE TRUTH

[@thecrossofjesusisthesimple4750]

Goat Eater google it ,You know,real proof,and then we will can talk proof.God is still doing it you can find millions of examples of God doing miracles today its easy on line to see the proof you can religiously reject , why can you religiously reject it ? well its because you have religion . I can prove atheism is religion with one question . Is a doctrine about my God religion ?

[@bernardambrosedcosta1138]

To David Franklin and r Lee: To win your argument it seems to me that you are basically saying that the Bible is correct because it says so in the Bible. Creation is only the correct way things came into being because it says so in the Bible. The universe is 6000+ years old because it says so in the Bible. Dawkins is a fool because it says so in the Bible. You want to shut people down because they disagree with your Bible and that is the correct course of action according to the Bible. So all hail the Bible. To prove or disprove something it is always best to have information coming from different sources that have no vested interested in each other. To take an old archaic collection of bronze age stories that got written down years later during the early iron age and to take them as absolute truth in this atomic age is short sighted to say the least. In short the Bible can't be right because it says so in the Bible. In what court of law will that hold up? You will probably say in the God's court during the final judgement because it says so in the Bible!!! PLEASE!!! I case you are wondering, I come from a tribe/clan who converted to Christianity from Saint Thomas the Apostle who was an eye witness to the one called Jesus. We also have this habit of making education of both boys and girls important. The reason being a child's first classroom is his mother's lap. This is the reason why we do not take the Bible, especially the old genesis stories, as literal truth. They are to us just old myths of blood shed, warfare and other weird things. We rather use the parables that Jesus taught to help us live with one another to better our lives and not to do to others as we would not want them to do us. The Bible is not a Science book and should never be viewed as such.

[@SNORKYMEDIA]

@castroy64 ah so we are responsible now for things that happened hundreds of years ago ??? Moron

[@EM-qx3hx]

castroy64 God-believing regimes have murdered ten times that through human history. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Vikings, ancient Greeks and Romans, Aztecs, Mayans, Egyptians...I could go on: they all believed in their gods and killed thousand of millions on their names and some continue doing it. Faith can equal goodness as well as criminal fanaticism; at least atheist do not kill in the name of god, so your statement is meaningless.

[@joesikic6531]

@castroy64 keep reading your babble

[@EM-qx3hx]

castroy64 Are you kidding me? Source? Just read some real History books

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

@castroy64 There never were atheistic regimes that did anything more than enforece a bias against religion . Anything else these regimes did was infoemed but philosophies not at all related to atheism . Authoritarian acts are not informed by not believing in theistic claims . However authoritarian act have been and continue being informed by belief in theistic claims . The blood is on the hands of theism .

[@exoplanet11]

Excellent talk, as usual. It took me a moment to realize he was talking about small birds (Parus major) at 1:16:10

[@patricksname]

The point Steven Weinberg, and others, make though is that no matter how much we know we will likely always simply be pushing the "ultimate question" further and further back.

[@MrBlues113]

50:00 The most beautiful and deepest feeling of existence, the mystery of the observer, the weirdness of conscious beings.

[@mickbott9041]

What a nice intelligent audience! You should have them stuffed Richard!

[@oneandonlyjaybee]

He could keep them in his man-cave, right next to the dart board with the photo of Wendy Wright in the middle

[@SIMKINETICS]

There are KZbin videos that feature the Russian experiments to breed wild foxes in captivity, selecting for tameness with humans. Those experiments produced the most astonishing results that will force you to wonder even more about nature. Also, wolf domestication videos reveal amazing differences between wolves & dogs. Nature is fascinating!

[@AndyX]

Dawkins was the professor of science for many years at oxford. and he is not afraid to stand up for science against massive adversity (much like Newton). so therefore he does have a connection

[@Ploskkky]

"How can science be objective when it's performed by humans?" - The solution lies in the plural. The fact that science is performed by large groups of humans who cooperate and check and double check and falsify each others findings makes it as objective as humanly possible. That is why science in general is so incredibly successful. The fruits of science are million-fold proof that it delivers more knowledge than anything religious superstitions have had to offer in tens of thousands of years

[@siamsi6465]

I love this man. He is another Genius of our time. But, I still believe (in which case I couldn't explain) that there is GOD from whom the first scientifically proven big bang might have been created.

[@Bethos1247-Arne]

Why do you believe that?

[@siamsi6465]

Bethos1247 All things on earth and in the universe as I've seen on many documentaries seem to have been so magnificently and beautifully designed and structured with some sorts of purposes. What Prof. Richard Dawkins has been explaining, in my opinion, is the process of how things have come to beings. But for what reasons and why did it happen in the first place? There must be something else that is the behind force of all of it. And the answer I could have for now and probably in the future is that there must be a GOD. I don't know if it is the God of Muslim, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, or any other religions. I just believe that there must be something (defined in my own term as God) that is the hindden force of it all.

[@stephen9740]

Siam Si You're on your way of becoming an atheist. All believers that become atheist go through this step. To answer you. there's no need to have something at the start of it all... And even if there was a need, why should it be a god ? Why couldn't it be "nothing" ? It sure is a viable scientific probability. What you are suggestion on the other hand has no evidence, and is no different from me saying well, Zeus or Jupiter created it all, or a very intelligent alien species did.. would you call that alien consciousness "god" ? Again there's no need for a creator, and the ones religions are proposing are simply improbable and utter nonsense.

[@Bethos1247-Arne]

Siam Si "for what reason"? - You assume a reason before you could know that there is any. "There must be something else that is behind the force of all it". - How do you know that there *must*? I feel the same wonder as you, when I just look in the night sky even without my telescope, or when I look into a forest at either day or night. The majestic nature around us. The unfathomable complexity. If you think that there is a god involved, but your are unable to explain how he did it, you explained nothing but put even more on the table. I don't know if there is a god, but I don't believe that there is any until there is actual evidence for it.

[@BR3AK1NGbenjamin]

Siam Si Why does everyone assume there has to be a reason for it all? Aren't we obsessed with this as humans. There doesn't have to be, have you considered that? So if you think that God created the world and your argument how everything is so beautiful, how about bone cancer in children? Death and destruction that goes on today and even before humans existed through many different nature disasters? 99% of all species that ever lived are extinct, Most of the universe is an empty and cold space with nothing in it - God would have created that as well - whats the purpose of the rest? You can only say that there might be something out there that we are incapable of understanding that may have created all - which could be just superior beings - even if you were to prove that there is something you cannot then say that its this God or that God, therefore all religions of today are utter nonsense and a scam.

[@blackjacks5829]

Explanation about genes is fascinating.

[@fsof4006]

According to a research made 2007 in the US 23% of the evengalical protestants believed in evolution, 45% of the muslim, 58% of the catholics, 77% of the secular unaffiliated, 80% of the hindus, 81% of the buddhists and 87% of the atheists/agnostics. Says something about religious views and how they can differ in their beliefs in science. (Source:wikipedia)

[@pdlivin]

F Sof do you know what the definition was? im not disagreeing i just know most of my religious friends believe in micro not macro evolution, like theyre two completely different things

[@maylingng4107]

Mr. Meeseeks Micro and macro evolution are creationists inventions trying to circumvent the discovered facts and the proven processes. In science we have a single theory of evolution only (no micro or macro).

[@zeljjko70766]

such interesting man ..humbled to see him this spring

[@tracycampbell4526]

I'm amused by the hipster with the goofy hat, pseudo-military shirt, and the inability to express himself without using the extraneous "like" every few words. In an apparent effort to separate himself as intellectually superior to Sarah Palin, and he cites her as evidence of a potential misstep in human evolution. The obvious inference is Sarah Palin is an idiot. This may or may not be true, but I don't think we win any arguments by pointing to the opposition and calling them stupid. Lawrence Krauss frequently belittles Republicans as a group in his lectures. The "Haha! I'm superior because I don't believe in god, and you're stupid because you do!" is counterproductive. Many "believers" are quite intelligent people, but have been indoctrinated from birth to believe fables and falsehoods. Convincing many of them there is no god is as daunting as convincing them that water is not wet. Unless you're just waiting for all believers to simply die off, another approach may be warranted.

[@haroldwestrich3312]

Unfortunately, as we understand evolution; Sara Palin's genes have already been passed on and are "Winning" in the long genetic race of life. Regardless of her intelligence or lack thereof. The same goes for her male counterparts who would be seen as "Stupid" still possess the powerful bodies that are capable of reproducing, and as long as their "Stupidity" does not end their lives or stop them from f...ing like rabbits, they are going to WIN THE genetic race. NOW look at nerds that sit around thinking about stuff like "What Richard Dawkins is talking about"; We as a demographic group are "Loosers" in the genetic race because we are not Raping women, We are not having huge families of ten children (stupid men possibly causing hundreds of pregnancies), all of which perpetuate the existence of people with a tendency to rape or generally be promiscuous. In Short we need to put a stop to the natural way evolution has brought us to where we are and realize that intelligence is NOT a trait that ensures the progressive intellectual growth of our species but is a short lived FLAW in the genetic progression that will hardly be noticed 100,000 years from now. From an evolutionary viewpoint; the people who are less intelligent, but fuck like rabbits are the greatest! ! ! ! and will be rewarded with long term genetic/evolutionary survival. SURVIVAL OF THE BREEDERS...... Think about that real hard with all of your spare time you spend thinking. Spare time that you have simply because you DON"T have children! AAAAAaaaaaaahhhh. Become smarter by not having children; therefore having time to study learn and become intellectually superior, but loose the evolutionary game because you are not out there popping out babies. I doubt that intellectuals will ever have a higher birthrate than neanderthal hump bunnies that like having litters of 6 to ten babies. NOTE: not saying that all people with many children are less intelligent, just that intellectuals tend to have far fewer babies and this does not say much for the survival of intelligence. (If intelligence is genetic) It's almost like talking about time travel. I guess my point of view here is predicated on the idea that critical thinking would lead to the conclusion that having a baby is creating a HUGE project that will consume most of your time and effort for up to 100 years.

[@tracycampbell4526]

FTFY: Stupid people breed more than intelligent people.

[@JustusPaul1]

tell that to christopher hitchens

[@gurusekharank1175]

Excellent sir😍😍😍👍

[@kennethmarshall306]

Listening to him and hearing all of the scientific discoveries that evidence what he says, It makes me sad that so many people, for religious reasons, deny that evolution is the explanation for the origin of species.

[@seanjones2456]

I can't learn anything from Richard Dawkins because I'm too busy feeding my brain with some of the greatest minds on earth like Ken Ham, Kent Hovind, and Joshua Feuerstein. Insert Fart sound here.

[@visualthinker9339]

Sean Jones 😂😂😂

[@michaelwescott8064]

Juicy or dry fart? Im thinking of a big ol horse crappin fart.

[@christinafidance340]

Exactly. The kind of people who just adore Ken Ham’s definition s of “Observational Science” vs “Historical Science” and claim to gain SO MUCH from it! Gotta be the same people we went to school with who dropped out of seventh grade, I swear! Cuz I definitely don’t remember that one from high school. And not college either, now that I think about it!

[@seanjones2456]

@God hates IiberaIs bless your heart. Basements need people too.

[@seanjones2456]

@God hates IiberaIs Your name is evidence that you are a moron, your comment about one of the most prominent biologists on the planet is just the cherry on top. There is no god, he doesnt hate anyone cuz he doesnt exist, and liberals is such a broad label that it really doesnt do any good. Basically you have failed continuously. Keep up the good work.

[@donaldwhittaker7987]

Good stuff. Required learning in homes, schools, and churches.

[@candeffect]

What does Dawkins say about Dr. James Tour's worldview on evolution?

[@handfullocheez]

he outright stated that all fossils could be considered intermediates--that would also refer to those that we will leave behind..but to say that any change is gradual is an understatement and to say that our evolution is favorable or not is speculative

[@thegroove2000]

How can anyone dismiss this?. FOR GODS SAKE.

[@luiztrazh]

Creationists claims are like a detective investigating the bloody scene of a severely stabbed victim and claiming it must have been a heart attack.

[@amitlahiri3248]

New species of dogs from existing dogs or new species of finches from existing finches through natural selection is quite different from the transformation of reptiles into mammals through natural selection. Please read the book Evolution: the hidden assumptions (Amazon Kindle)

[@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095]

It's quite comical listening to YECs trying to explain away the giraffe's recurrent laryngeal nerve. 🦒🐠 {:o:O:}

[@RealLife-dp9dd]

Amazing

[@eneydacruz8131]

When he mentioned that there are British getting their science from the Flinstones, I think everyone was so heavy hearted by the comments he had just made about religious people controlling our education and our politics that no one could LOL.

[@GlowingMpd]

👍

[@danabrown4628]

Ken Hamm gets his science from the Flintstones with the dinosaurs wearing saddles at his Creation Museum. Hebron, KY.

[@jonjagp]

44% of people... it's scary really

[@halfhigh]

Well yes I agree. However if they believed that a flat earth was also a belief then that is also ridiculous. It's as if beliving the hanging gardens of Babylon was a real structure.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

I agree that we must not give into the urge to set right those trolls whose purposes are not to discuss the subject but to keep the attention on themselves . Thereby they slow the free exchange of ideas among those who seek to learn more about the subject .

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

A friend of mine has made that same post in his own words but he is hounded by scurriless , irate trolls who wrongly report everything he posts .So its no longer here to be read .

[@CreativeContention]

I'd rather be living in a dull but truthful world than in a deluded state of excitement. Truth is Love. Love is truth.

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

Great Q & A. Some very smart questions. I wish I could ask him a question. I've been wanting to ask him something for a long time now.

[@jackduthie9743]

What's that then mate?

[@unicyclist97]

Science Guy It's "will you marry me?"

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

Jack Duthie I've explained this a couple times now. I don't know why it won't go through. I keep getting filtered.

[@normanthrelfall2646]

Marco Polo left for China in AD 1271. He arrived in AD 1273. He described seeing a two-legged dinosaur. He wrote that in the “province of Carajan” [South Eastern Asia] there existed - giant serpents of such vast size as to strike fear into those who see them. You may be assured that some of them are ten paces in length; and in bulk they are equal to a great cask, for the bigger ones are about 10 palms in girth, they have two forelegs near the head [T.Rex kind] but for feet nothing but a claw of a hawk or that of a lion. The head is very big; the eyes are bigger than a great loaf of bread. [In those days bread was circular in shape] The mouth is large enough to swallow a man whole, {again it sounds like a T. Rex kind of dinosaur having a very big head and mouth} and it is garnished with great pointed teeth. In 1611 the emperor appointed the post of a “Royal Dragon Feeder” books even tell of Chinese families raising Dragons to use their blood for medicines and highly prized their eggs Marinus Willem Devisser- The Dragon in China & Japan 1969 William Caxton, England’s First Printer, recorded the description of a large serpent in 1884. About the marshes of Northern Italy, within a meadow was sometime a serpent of a wonderful and right marvelous greatness, sight: hideous and fearful. For first he had the head greater than the head of a calf; secondly, he had a neck of the length of an ass [snake] and the body made after the likeness of a dog and his tail was wonderfully great, thick and long, without comparison to any other. [His description is that of a Tanystropheus kind of dinosaur]. Bill Cooper, After the Flood 1994 Page 139 On May 13th, 1572 near Bdogna, Italy, Scientist Ulysses Aldiovandus recorded an encounter between a peasant named Baptista and a dragon whose description fits that of a small dinosaur Tanystropheus: The remarkable lizard had a 3 metre long neck, which it probably used for fishing in shallow sea water; and maybe for reaching into rocky crevices, oddly though it was very long, the neck was not very flexible, so it is possible that it had some completely different purpose which we have yet to understand. [He obviously observed this dinosaur’s movements very closely in order to recognise that this creature had a neck which was not very flexible]. 1496 Grave of the Bishop of Carlisle Richard Bell England which can be seen today! In 1496 the Bishop of Carlisle Richard Bell was buried in the floor of the Carlisle Cathedral in Cumbria UK. The tomb is inlaid with brass plates, with various animals engraved upon them. One is unmistakably similar to a dinosaur! This is only 500 years ago in England. In 1883; the Scientific American Magazine reported an “extraordinary saurian” killed in Bolivia. Here is the description: The legs, belly and lower part of the throat appear defended by a kind of scale armour and all the back is protected by a still thicker and double cuirass, starting from behind the ears of the anterior head, and continuing to the tail. The neck is long, and the belly large and almost dragging on the ground.

[@rl7012]

Great info, thank you.

[@normanthrelfall2646]

@@rl7012 You are welcome, the truth shall set you free!

[@normanthrelfall2646]

Take care

[@flystix]

it definitely seems crazy when you don't live in that bubble, I agree with you their. To many of them the idea of evolution or global warming is crazy. I do my best to not label things in that way as the answer is typically more complex then that, and in searching for those answers can find better ways of breaking through the bubble. Just calling someone crazy will instantly make them distrust anything else you have to say after that.

[@Benfea]

Nah. We had this same argument with religionists about whether the world was round or flat, with whether the Earth orbits the Sun or the Sun orbits the Earth, we had this argument about whether or not there is a "firmament" above the sky that God opens up to let the rain fall down, we even argued about the nature and origin of lightning. We've had this argument many times, and we will have it many times more.

[@andrejgano6663]

which earth and in which universe?

[@SleepyPenguin-8og]

Dawkins speaks from the greatest city on earth. Love to Tokyo too. Havent been there yet.

[@kennethmarshall306]

I would like to see him debate Stephen Myer, Michael Behe and John Lennox, not on religion, but on evolution

[@richardgregory3684]

Behe? lol

[@kennethmarshall306]

@@richardgregory3684 Too many people take him seriously!

[@ozowen5961]

@@kennethmarshall306 Not many take Behe seriously. Not even his university. Dawkins does evidence. Behe does.... whatever it is he does.

[@Raydensheraj]

Why would he still debate Discovery Institute paid preachers, applogists and propaganda stooges that have been laughed at since the Kitzmiller versus Dover Judgment ....which completely destroyed the Christian nationalist pseudoscience club. When it came to defend Intelligent design Creationism....Stephen Meyers and his paid propaganda buddies RAN....only Behe stayed, who emberassed himself. I highly recommend the PBS documentary here on KZbin - just search for PBS Kitzmiller versus Dover. Also, science communicator Professor Dave made videos on every singe Christian propagandist from the Southern strategist Christian nationalist Discovery Institute, incuding the philosophica mumbo jumbo loving Stephen Meyers.

[@abmong]

I wonder how creationists explain the fact that there are no fossils of modern humans or modern animals if the earth is so young.

[@rafacrush843]

The biggest mistery of the universe for me is that in 2024 this man still needs to convince people to the evolution theory or to the fact that earth is older than 6000 years.

[@patricksname]

Modern forms of communication and large Hadron Collider may have been unthinkable, but they were not ruled out. Modern cosmology pretty much rules out observation of events prior to photon decoupling. That doesn't mean we can't attempt to experimentally recreate conditions prior to that time, or develop theories of what the universe was like before that time which predict the state of the universe after that time and which conform to experimental results.

[@manthasagittarius1]

This is virtually the same as saying: Public schools -- no corporal punishment Private schools -- none of your business. or Public schools -- health screening and required immunizations Private school -- none of your business Abuse and neglect of children can be mental and intellectual as well as physical. It is always "our business."

[@lilylittle5199]

What I learned from this: "Fish don't have necks."

[@nicholasrachuna903]

hahaha, that's a good one!

[@Deejaynext]

good on you :)

[@flystix]

yes but above 40% in my own country just makes me sad. I don't personally understand why people wish to "believe" in something rather than attempting to understand the truth of what we know of our existence. Just outright dismissing science and scientists when they're showing you evidence every step of the way so you can keep believing what someone tells you without ANY evidence because it's comfortable is just mind boggling to me. Willful ignorance is inexcusable and shouldn't be tolerated

[@JaeSlym187]

@two-edged sword. If using threats of eternal damnation is your way of compelling people to worship a book, I think I will stick to the level-headed scientists perspective

[@Sezuki]

Like Douglas Adams put it - "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"

[@MagnusIvarssonjlivingstonsg]

I was terrorized by religious people when I studied Master of Science in Engineering Physics. I got telephone threats night before exams, mocked on lectures and brakes. This because I said I thought I could prove that all can be described with mathematics. The university LTH did nothing to help me. The terrorization went on after I took my exam and I was attacked even at work.

[@178314]

+Magnus Ivarsson Religion poses a danger to our world Magnus. When I think of the universe I wonder at its magnifficent mathematics that science has yet to learn from. I wish you well in all you do for science, for without this our world would be forever blind to the truth.

[@cavewoman6716]

I'm shocked (well... I shouldn't be...these radicals are insane). But I'm still shock about this humongous amount of lack of logical thinking... critical thinking... name it.

[@billdomb]

Localized diversity: does it indicate evolutionary progress? Could there be BOTH mechanisms afoot? Some engineered starters, THEN further evolutionary scenarios?