dawkins

A guy puts together his top ten must watch documentaries. Links to YouTube and Google Video. The Power of Nightmares is on the list, as well as a piece by Richard Dawkins.

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Dawkins has a new book coming out on Oct 18 entitled The God Delusion. In it he takes a very pointed stance on religion and uses his scientific writing to support aethistic beliefs. This video is from an interview with him.

Quoted: Richard Dawkins' asserts that belief in god is irrational and inflicts great harm upon societies. Jeremy Paxman interviews Professor Dawkins as part of the Newsnight book club.

List of atheist organizations from Richard Dawkins.

Richard Dawkins makes Time 100, profile written by antagonist.

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Richard Dawkins interviewed by Paula Zahn on CNN.

I was surprised at how upset Dyson is at what Richard Dawkins is doing in his attack on religion in "The God Delusion" (I asked him specificially about this at his talk in Seattle last night).

During the talk he said he was "all for it" when asked about harmonizing religion and science. And he was upset at Dawkins.

I asked him why, and he said that he felt that Dawkins is discouraging young people from entering a career in science by his confrontational stance toward their (previously held) religious beliefs.

I think that's a pretty weak reason. I found Dyson's acceptance speech for the Templeton prize in 2000 (worth about $1M) - I'd like to read what he ways here.

Quoted: Religion will always remain a powerful force in the history of our species.
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Sharing the food is to me more important than arguing about beliefs. Jesus, according to the gospels, thought so too.
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I am content to be one of the multitude of Christians who do not care much about the doctrine of the Trinity or the historical truth of the gospels.
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I am thinking that atoms and humans and God may have minds that differ in degree but not in kind.
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I don't say that this personal theology is supported or proved by scientific evidence. I only say that it is consistent with scientific evidence.
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Bacon saw clearly what science could do and what science could not do. He is saying to the philosophers and theologians of his time: look for God in the facts of nature, not in the theories of Plato and Aristotle.
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Science and religion are two windows that people look through, trying to understand the big universe outside, trying to understand why we are here. The two windows give different views, but they look out at the same universe. Both views are one-sided, neither is complete. Both leave out essential features of the real world. And both are worthy of respect.
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the great majority of scientists treat religion with respect so long as religion does not claim jurisdiction over scientific questions.

Quoted: Freeman Dyson, by accepting the Templeton Prize, sent a powerful signal to the world which, whether he likes it or not, will be taken as an endorsement of religion by one of the world's most distinguished physicists. The great Freeman Dyson is a Christian!

After the old god has been assassinated, I am ready to rule the world. ....Richard Dawkins?

Quoted: The Nietzsche Family Circus pairs randomized Family Circus cartoons with randomized Friedrich Nietzsche quotes.

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This is a treat. Richard Dawkins went to Randolph-Macon University in Lynchburg, USA recently to read from his latest book "The God Delusion". In the Q&A session afterwards it became clear that a proffessor from the other local "university" (actually a baptist college) had come along and brought his class with him. The students from Liberty university try and catch Dawkins out but he calmly answers their questions one by one. He gets a bit irate towards the end but it's a great example of rational thinking overcoming superstition through clear arguments. It's pretty long - 70mins - but well worth watching.