He claims that religious people are either A), Mad, B) Stupid, or C) Evil. I'd be offended. I have no problem with him having his own opinions. That why I like Atheists such as Steven Fry and David Mitchel. I object when he attempts to force his beliefs on others - exactly what he criticizes religion for. The hypocrisy of him is staggering.
Lewa500 He does actually. I am not prejudiced towards Athiests - my own father is one. But That doesn't make Dawkins a nice person. He presents his own views in just a dogmatic and single minded way. He refuses to accept that there is such a thing as both an intelligent, and kind, Christian/Muslim/Jew. That isn't me hating on Atheists - that's me just not liking *him* for his disdain towards people who have different beliefs. He is just as intolerant as the religions he criticizes, and to me, that makes him a hypocrite. Please, do not accuse me of prejudice, when there is none.
I'll be purchasing Professor Dawkins book for my grandson, who will be receiving copious Sky Wizard propaganda from his other grandparents. We need more literature like this; thank you Professor Dawkins!
I remember being taught religious stories when I was a child and I took them to be a more boring version of any other fairytale, one of the greatest shocks I had in my early life was when I discovered some adults think they are real even now it seems beyond bizarre that some people choose to base their lives and goals around not very good fairy stories.
Totally agreed craig is totally unqualified to discuss scientific matters, his line of argument is always word play, and never ever offering actual evidence of a god. Word tricks will only endorse the beliefs of those who already believe. Rational people would never be swayed by linguistic shenanigans.
He speaks standard English; Received Pronunciation; the pronunciation people attend paid lessons to attain and master; the pronunciation typically found from those of good education; the pronunciation engendered from linguistic awareness; the pronunciation governed by consistent and concrete rules informed by this linguistic awareness; the pronunciation standardised to represent most clearly and effectively the word's most common language. You speak Neanderthal.
My father tried to explain evolution to me when I was like four years old. I literally though that my grandfather was a monkey when he was a child. To me, at that age, my understanding of "a long time ago" was when my grandpa was a child. My dad got really annoyed because I couldn't grasp the concept of millions of years, hahahaha. Fortunately he didn't give up, and I never had to go to Sunday school😁.
I'm 19; my brother is 9. Until a few years ago, I was one of those Christians who had dismissed everything in the Bible except the 4 Gospels. Due to my naturally logical and scientifically curious mind, I found religion harder and harder to believe by the time I was in high school. Ever since I've learned all this biology, chemistry, and watched space documentaries (which obviously explained the Big Bang with simple astrophysics), I've been teaching my brother these things so he won't be as backward as I once was and so he'll wake up much sooner than I did and realize religion is bullshit. My previously held religious ideals eventually went away (I finally let go halfway through high school, around the same time I let go of Christianity and became a deist at 16, *after I had read the entire Bible for myself*); and then I finally became an atheist at the age of 17, almost 18. I don't want my brother to be as gullible as I had; I don't want him to be as ignorant as I had.
Exactly the same story as me but with Islam. Only difference I was 13 and my abandonment of religion happened over the period of just one year. I am now 22 and still yet to come out as an atheist to my family.
Haha at the end is brilliant when Richard said "by ignorant and stupid aduts as you described them" Richard smiled as well after he said it, I don't know why but i found that so funny it's like he's saying thanks for being on my side but now I'm going to drop you in the shit
+A Taylow (Lee) It made me laugh too. Paxman always takes the contrary position in his interviews, but there's not much he can say in favour of adults who profess belief in talking snakes.
I find Dawkins to be a very likable man. Religionists all seem to find him to be snarky and sarcastic. I guess you get defensive when you know deep inside that you're wrong.
I never believed a single one of the childish stories,,, just as at age 13 I realized that all religions were nonsense. All people should ask questions and demand reliable answers.
When I was little (around 8 or 7 ) I got a book for children about Greek mythology…it was fascinating…It made me develop interest in Greek history and myths (at the end it all help me during my professional development as an architect and until now I still love to read about it)……What Dr. Dawkins is doing is amazing, and Im sure it will change thousands of children’s lives…I wish I had the chance to read this book when I was 7….
Phil R No. Why would I want there to exist, a viscous celestial dictator, who claims ownership of me, and demands my constant worship of him? Fuck that. To choose to believe in and worship God is to live as an abject slave.
I'm tempted to get into a long discussion with you about the evidence for God, but I don't think you really want to hear that (as you said that you would'nt want to believe even if God were shown to exist). I would like to end our conversation in an amicable way though, by saying that I believe that the God I believe in would love you Harry and whatever crap the world has thrown at us wasn't His will... We live in a fallen world and we have free will. This world is full of evil and injustices unfortunately... The Bible doesn't promise us a rose garden here on Earth - but eternity will level things.
LOL. It does seem odd that so many youtube videos have out of sync audio, or are also squashed vertically or horizontally. But that has more to do with the uploaders of videos who don't know that video runs at 29.97 fps and not 30 fps. If one flips through video frames at 30 fps and not 29.97 then over time it becomes more out of sync with the audio. And now with widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio video, people with little brain power need to encode it to play back at 16:9 and not 4:3, and vice versa.
I find it far more comforting to believe that there is no God. For if there was one then it must be a viscous and cruel being or an incredibly stupid and lazy one. None of which are desirable traits in one who holds absolute power and claims ownership of me.
Soli tary Because he created the earth. Which is full of shit, cruel and painful things. Many of which are felt by people and suffered by us. If God is omnipotent it follows that he is therefore either very lazy or very cruel.
Soli tary well then he's a rubbish teacher that couldn't find a better teaching method that didn't involve suffering on a mass scale, something that most teachers seem to manage. Also to make other beings suffer just so humans can learn how to live is cruel,
"there is no things such as spontaneous generation...This should be an everyday happening since life is always evolving and always generating" What has evolution got to do with spontaneous generation?
i have 3 young sons and tell them about evolution but it is difficult to explain gradual change to young children. They seem to easily understand how stories are made up like cartoons and super heroes as they can make up their own and that helps ground them in terms of what is fact over fiction and they enjoy stories all the same. Lying to children is easier because it requires much less work for the parent in the short term but why confuse your kids?
So by targeting equally impressionable children with his own ideas - isn't he doing exactly the same thing? Parents should be left to pass on whatever religious, spiritual or philosophical beliefs they chose.
Is there "Evidence" That racism is wrong? Does that mean that we should wait for children to chose for themselves, if they want to be racist or not racist, and not interfere? Parents will always teach their children what they feel is important. To do so is not to care!
Haradion Drogon Yes, there is scientific evidence that racism is wrong and that in actuality the human species is not subdivided by race. The human genome has been sequenced which shows that all people originate in Africa, and that any difference in skin tone that has occurred since is simply as a result of the adaptation of melanin content in the skin to the varying environments. There is one race, and it's called human.
***** lol.. there is evidence of the exact age of the universe, earth as well as all living things? please do explain, were you or mr. dawkins there? i bet you couldn't even find out my precise age after examining me. Don't be so foolish.
What possible comfort or awe can be taken knowing that you're connected to a mountain by a quantum field? You can't think for it. You can't feel anything it might feel. It cares nothing for you, or anything else. There's no comfort there. It's about as awesome as the number 413.
they're not beliefs, its what we know according to the most recent scientific discoveries. of course that will change as we discover more (assuming we manage to continue to educate our children), but for now its the most precise model we have of the universe.
peace blud That would mean it is subject to interpretation, and one person's interpretation would be as valid as another's, so you then are disagreeing with all those who claim the bible is God's word inerrant word used to guide humans through life. It can't be both.
What an arrogant and intolerant person you are as are all the people who liked your comment Id say you are far more ignorant and a far greater bigot than 98% of believers in the almighty
Paxo shows the difference between US and UK interviewers "do you really care that there are a lot of stupid people around" you're not going to hear that on Fox's version of News Night
its not like anyone expected paxman to do his job and be critical of professor dawkins. Whats the point complaining as the bbc are not going to do anything about this bias news report.
Noone knows the whole picture,which is why our best option is to attempt to objectively consider the evidence ,and draw conclusions based on said evidence in order to build a picture of the truth. We call this logical framework SCIENCE , and the results of it are spectacular,hence the way I can use a computer to talk to you. The same process rejects your Bronze age alternative as baseless mythology,and the enemy of Human rationality and progress.
"Then you can't explain how life started either?" Of course I don't know, ,but as I pointed out before evolution has nothing whatsoever to do with how life started
I don't think so, he gives a multitude of arguments supported by evidence as to why people should believe him. I don't agree, however, with the basic premise of his book. The whole point of childhood is to suspend reality and believe in myths such as Father Christmas.
All time, space, matter, energy, and force, "exploded" into being from nothing, without cause, and cogent reasoning is supposed to tell us that is not miraculous and wholey separate from a myth??? In what rational realm is the equation, nothing X no one = everything??
To be honest, Atheists and Theists are just 2 groups of people who genuinely believe that they know the truth, and there is no easier way to persuade the opposite side. However, the only difference between both groups is that Theist (at least Christians) really think they will have afterlife which is comforting while not all Atheist find the truth comforting.
In other words, if someone who really find religion comforting, I wouldn't walk towards them and say something that would ruin their life. If they find it comforting, let them be comforted.
abc1111 - Science, reason and rationality come into it as well, dude. I mean... we have ways of evaluating what is likely to be true, and what is likely to be untrue, you know?
+abc1111 I can see why so many people take this line about religion being comforting - particularly where death is concerned. It should be comforting if it were really true. However, ask yourself this: do atheists feel bereavement more intensely than those who profess belief in heaven? Is their grief actually worse when someone they love dies? Do they fear death more than theists? And if the answer to any of these questions is 'no' (which I think it quite evidently is), then why not? In my opinion the 'comfort' of these beliefs is very superficial, and I suspect that is because people don't really believe these things to their core. Dig away all that faith and you're left with a solid foundation of doubt. Because without doubt, there can be no faith. So, which is more fundamental to human understanding? Incidentally, I used to have a belief in God and heaven. When I realised I didn't believe it anymore, I felt a huge sense of relief - relief that I didn't have to worry about being wrong anymore. And relief that I didn't have to kid myself. It didn't ruin my life, that's for sure.
Existentialism doesn't necessarily mean life is meaningless, rather that your existence is what you make of it. How that applies in real life is that you can believe in God, absolutely, but don't make laws for everyone based upon something that only some of them believe, and don't make exceptions (legally, morally) based upon a person's faith. And don't expect not to be made fun of for believing in something you can't prove.
It is those who put knowledge before happiness that have over time given you access and the capability to use computers, vaccines, comfortable travel... In what way is that bleak?
I think he got into some trouble calling people who believe in the Old Testament "Stupid". (Until it was established that this is supported by the evidence)
Who cares if religious people turn against him? Just because someone religious doesn't say a bad word to you doesn't stop them from being stupid. If you choose to deny this truth then you deny truth itself.
how is this even a 'debate'?? hey parents, just let your kids figure it out on their own... oh ya, they will probably be good people without your myths
I surely don't think that I'm special. At least not more special as the other 8000000000 'Individualists' around today. But thanks to my Parents and the Biology Teachers at School I had no Problem to grasp Earth's History - and our own. So I think, everyone can comprehend this.
It is not only astonishing but also just scary, because many of those people have influence on our everyday lives, ie. politicians, judges, etc. I'd be OK with many religious people being out there only if they didn't have such impact on the lifes of non-believers.
True, however, when your personal beliefs extend to violence and the murder of other people, for example, hijacking a plane and flying it into building, then it does matter. When beliefs are simply personal, then there shouldn't be a problem, but don't forget those that act upon them and hurt others in the process.
It is a wonderful book. , should be in every school - better than the Bible. To withhold this book from children is a crime. “Children deserve to know the truth"
+Damien Le Roche. Sounds ok--but parents shouldn't abuse their kids minds with their own idiotic beliefs---let them be aware of ALL theories and FACTS--to make their own minds up as they grow.
+Philip Croft That's extremely difficult. What we should teach children is the philosophy of empiricism, rational, and scientific inquiry. That way they'll be able to distinguish between fiction and reality.
Alexander B. "Atheists is the peaple, who don't have any beliefs" You're wrong but good grammar and spelling mate. Please spread your amazing intelligence to your offspring (if you know what that even is)
1. I don't see religion as the enemy of science but rather its predecessor, in that organized religions provided the early regulating force that helped society create the Sciences in the 1st place. The fact that the 2 camps are now bitter rivals is proof that neither group has actually solved the core problem of existence - the need for continual struggle & conflict (Cont...
Well said. Many atheists seem to want to wander down some Deepak Chopra path, or go the other direction and worship technology, rather than taking a more rational approach. Atheism need not mimic religion.
It's not a profound philosophical point. I never said it was. I'm getting at the fact that the universe is incomprehensibly large and that we are all part of the universe. I don't understand why you are attacking this with such vitriol. I'm unable to describe our universe with anything less than superlatives. It is undeniably incredible. If you don't find it incredible then you either have something better than the universe or just don't get the point I'm trying to make.
Dawkins is highlighting some wonderful natural stories but he could tone it down a little. For example, at 3:57 "We started off this f***ing planet with fragments of dust"
I think people need to stay open minded, we don’t know everything just yet!! What is the logical answer for our universe appearing out of nowhere and when subatomic particles appear and disappear where do they disappear to?
I can see some of the pros to this but I really thought Dawkins would have been more intelligent rather than simply trying to shove his "truth" down peoples throats. There can be no denying it is more comforting to hear the fables of a religious/mythical viewpoint other than the "everyman for himself" characteristic evolution has
Who cares which story is more poetic. The truth is more important than the comfort of weak minded, over sensitive people as more can be achieved for humanity with the truth.
I do hope he's included the Nephilim giants and how the Pyramids and ancient megaliths were built and how knowledgeable people were 10s of thousands of years ago on the workings of the universe way before we did !.........I think Dawkins knows a lot more than he lets on but sticks to Darwinism as a notoriety on the subject to keep us off track
I used to believe in God, then I used my imagination and imagined if there was no God! It was even more mysterious, more spellbinding, more rich....the universe seemed FAR MORE GRAND when it doesn't have recently evolved primates at the centre of 13.7 billion years of expansion. Do you have the imagination?
Dawkins seems to think science has 'almost' solved the mystery of the existence of a universe and has 'all but' decoded the complexities of life. I doubt whether someone who really knew what he is talking about would say such a thing. How could he be so sure about this? After all he is part and product of life and of universe. Why would life and universe have elected his brains to understand themselves?
I read magic to my son's 5 and 7 years ald, they take it ok, but I try to change some words and frases to the simpler one, and to make comments on my own.
Those people are just hypocrites. They were taught religion at a very young age and haven't questioned it since. There are actually plenty of people like that. To question your religion you need to have some interest in philosophy and many people such as economists, engineers or technicians don't have that interest, they focus only on practical things. Such people despite often being fairly intelligent may live whole their lives without renouncing their religion.
genesis- ''as long as you don't think it's true. The trouble is that 40 per cent of the American people think it's literally true.'' Then why don't you keep your insulting opinions to yourself and let people believe what they want to believe. People can figure out what is true for themselves, after all, no one should care what other people believe; you are your own person.
You could give kids Harry Potter or Narnia or The Alchemist or literally the millions of children's books that do not talking about killings gays or stoning adulteres.
what dawkins is saying is absolutely morally true. all you need as a kid is a little bit of help and liberal minded parenting and you work this stuff out for yourself, father christmas doesnt exist, logically, religion heaven and hell and god, just doesn't make sense. and slowly you begin to work the world out. There is still room for spiritual enlightenment and imagination and mythology and stories and play. the more kids have a helping hand in working out their own reality the better.
Jeremy Paxman's lack of love for evolution is evident in this interview and in his rather rude approach to Alice Roberts in this Newsnight item: ua-cam.com/video/1LvcOcv9wcA/v-deo.html . According to Wikipedia, Paxman read English at university and that's no surprise when you see him in action talking to someone who actually knows something about science and how the world really works.
so do you think the supernatural mysteriously happens to hover around the 3rd world, or do you think lack of money, and therefore education in africa and parts of asia might play a more substantial role?...
You're completley missing the point. It doesn't 'just sound nice', it fills me with awe and wonder because it's so amazing. I appreciate the universe because I try to understand it. I read books and ponder things. I don't even know what you mean with the last bit. Without our universe, without atoms you wouldn't even exist, I really don't get what you're trying to say. That no one should view our existance in this universe as amazing? Explain in Lehmans terms what you mean.
A lot of people in this comment section are apparently offended by what this man has to say. Good, that's how progress is made.
There is no place in this world for non-whites.
Are you offended?
patrickedmund
I'm white, so I'm not really offended. However, this is blatantly untrue.
He claims that religious people are either A), Mad, B) Stupid, or C) Evil.
I'd be offended.
I have no problem with him having his own opinions. That why I like Atheists such as Steven Fry and David Mitchel.
I object when he attempts to force his beliefs on others - exactly what he criticizes religion for.
The hypocrisy of him is staggering.
Haradion Drogon
No, he doesn't. That's just you projecting your prejudice towards him.
Lewa500
He does actually.
I am not prejudiced towards Athiests - my own father is one.
But That doesn't make Dawkins a nice person. He presents his own views in just a dogmatic and single minded way.
He refuses to accept that there is such a thing as both an intelligent, and kind, Christian/Muslim/Jew.
That isn't me hating on Atheists - that's me just not liking *him* for his disdain towards people who have different beliefs. He is just as intolerant as the religions he criticizes, and to me, that makes him a hypocrite.
Please, do not accuse me of prejudice, when there is none.
I'll be purchasing Professor Dawkins book for my grandson, who will be receiving copious Sky Wizard propaganda from his other grandparents. We need more literature like this; thank you Professor Dawkins!
Spot on.
8:07
Paxman - "Do you really care that there are lots of stupid people around?"
Dawkins - "I do actually..."
Classic
"One is false and one is true". Genius moment
I remember being taught religious stories when I was a child and I took them to be a more boring version of any other fairytale, one of the greatest shocks I had in my early life was when I discovered some adults think they are real even now it seems beyond bizarre that some people choose to base their lives and goals around not very good fairy stories.
yup they still believe them fairytales
Totally agreed craig is totally unqualified to discuss scientific matters, his line of argument is always word play, and never ever offering actual evidence of a god. Word tricks will only endorse the beliefs of those who already believe. Rational people would never be swayed by linguistic shenanigans.
He speaks standard English; Received Pronunciation; the pronunciation people attend paid lessons to attain and master; the pronunciation typically found from those of good education; the pronunciation engendered from linguistic awareness; the pronunciation governed by consistent and concrete rules informed by this linguistic awareness; the pronunciation standardised to represent most clearly and effectively the word's most common language.
You speak Neanderthal.
It's a tragedy that children's minds across the world are being destroyed by crazy adults and their fairy stories.
Yeah like darwinism
It's been 5 years since the original post but the comment above mine shows that evolution moves very, very, very, very, slowly
My father tried to explain evolution to me when I was like four years old. I literally though that my grandfather was a monkey when he was a child. To me, at that age, my understanding of "a long time ago" was when my grandpa was a child. My dad got really annoyed because I couldn't grasp the concept of millions of years, hahahaha. Fortunately he didn't give up, and I never had to go to Sunday school😁.
Richard Dawkins, what a brilliant human!
He is not smart. Bible calls him a fool. And he is. To think that a blast can know to create a woman for a man
@@ericboaz9631 to think that god would create a dumbass like you...
I'm 19; my brother is 9. Until a few years ago, I was one of those Christians who had dismissed everything in the Bible except the 4 Gospels. Due to my naturally logical and scientifically curious mind, I found religion harder and harder to believe by the time I was in high school.
Ever since I've learned all this biology, chemistry, and watched space documentaries (which obviously explained the Big Bang with simple astrophysics), I've been teaching my brother these things so he won't be as backward as I once was and so he'll wake up much sooner than I did and realize religion is bullshit.
My previously held religious ideals eventually went away (I finally let go halfway through high school, around the same time I let go of Christianity and became a deist at 16, *after I had read the entire Bible for myself*); and then I finally became an atheist at the age of 17, almost 18. I don't want my brother to be as gullible as I had; I don't want him to be as ignorant as I had.
That makes you a good person.
Craig Stowers
Thank you. That really means a lot.
Smarter than I was at that same age.
Exactly the same story as me but with Islam. Only difference I was 13 and my abandonment of religion happened over the period of just one year. I am now 22 and still yet to come out as an atheist to my family.
C. Venom well done to you. Good attitude.
Haha at the end is brilliant when Richard said "by ignorant and stupid aduts as you described them" Richard smiled as well after he said it,
I don't know why but i found that so funny it's like he's saying thanks for being on my side but now I'm going to drop you in the shit
+A Taylow (Lee) Well, he's not really on his side.
+A Taylow (Lee) It made me laugh too. Paxman always takes the contrary position in his interviews, but there's not much he can say in favour of adults who profess belief in talking snakes.
I find Dawkins to be a very likable man. Religionists all seem to find him to be snarky and sarcastic. I guess you get defensive when you know deep inside that you're wrong.
I never believed a single one of the childish stories,,, just as at age 13 I realized that all religions were nonsense. All people should ask questions and demand reliable answers.
When I was little (around 8 or 7 ) I got a book for children about Greek mythology…it was fascinating…It made me develop interest in Greek history and myths (at the end it all help me during my professional development as an architect and until now I still love to read about it)……What Dr. Dawkins is doing is amazing, and Im sure it will change thousands of children’s lives…I wish I had the chance to read this book when I was 7….
One is false, one is true. nuf said. end of story.
Sounds a bit closed minded to me to assert that there is no God. If God was shown to exist, would you want to believe in Him?
Phil R No. Why would I want there to exist, a viscous celestial dictator, who claims ownership of me, and demands my constant worship of him?
Fuck that. To choose to believe in and worship God is to live as an abject slave.
Harry, you're right, Who indeed would want to worship a celestial dictator-not me ... But that's not the God we have
Phil R I'm intrigued as to how you can claim to know anything about a being that would be as transcendent and unimaginable as a would-be God.
I'm tempted to get into a long discussion with you about the evidence for God, but I don't think you really want to hear that (as you said that you would'nt want to believe even if God were shown to exist). I would like to end our conversation in an amicable way though, by saying that I believe that the God I believe in would love you Harry and whatever crap the world has thrown at us wasn't His will... We live in a fallen world and we have free will. This world is full of evil and injustices unfortunately... The Bible doesn't promise us a rose garden here on Earth - but eternity will level things.
The audio is out of synch. Thanks for caring.
How does one mix up "mix" with "mics"?
LOL. It does seem odd that so many youtube videos have out of sync audio, or are also squashed vertically or horizontally. But that has more to do with the uploaders of videos who don't know that video runs at 29.97 fps and not 30 fps. If one flips through video frames at 30 fps and not 29.97 then over time it becomes more out of sync with the audio. And now with widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio video, people with little brain power need to encode it to play back at 16:9 and not 4:3, and vice versa.
I find it far more comforting to believe that there is no God.
For if there was one then it must be a viscous and cruel being or an incredibly stupid and lazy one. None of which are desirable traits in one who holds absolute power and claims ownership of me.
why is it that God is this way?
Soli tary Because he created the earth. Which is full of shit, cruel and painful things.
Many of which are felt by people and suffered by us.
If God is omnipotent it follows that he is therefore either very lazy or very cruel.
Harry Strong what if all of it were to teach us as humans how to live?
Soli tary well then he's a rubbish teacher that couldn't find a better teaching method that didn't involve suffering on a mass scale, something that most teachers seem to manage. Also to make other beings suffer just so humans can learn how to live is cruel,
impartialequity well the Greek pantheon let stuff like that happen so mankind could learn. human greed's normal.
Also isn't this advertising.
"there is no things such as spontaneous generation...This should be an everyday happening since life is always evolving and always generating"
What has evolution got to do with spontaneous generation?
i have 3 young sons and tell them about evolution but it is difficult to explain gradual change to young children. They seem to easily understand how stories are made up like cartoons and super heroes as they can make up their own and that helps ground them in terms of what is fact over fiction and they enjoy stories all the same. Lying to children is easier because it requires much less work for the parent in the short term but why confuse your kids?
So by targeting equally impressionable children with his own ideas - isn't he doing exactly the same thing?
Parents should be left to pass on whatever religious, spiritual or philosophical beliefs they chose.
Oh wow. Kind of, difference is there is truth/evidence and no dogma in what he is saying.
Is there "Evidence" That racism is wrong? Does that mean that we should wait for children to chose for themselves, if they want to be racist or not racist, and not interfere?
Parents will always teach their children what they feel is important. To do so is not to care!
Haradion Drogon
Yes, there is scientific evidence that racism is wrong and that in actuality the human species is not subdivided by race. The human genome has been sequenced which shows that all people originate in Africa, and that any difference in skin tone that has occurred since is simply as a result of the adaptation of melanin content in the skin to the varying environments. There is one race, and it's called human.
***** lol.. there is evidence of the exact age of the universe, earth as well as all living things? please do explain, were you or mr. dawkins there? i bet you couldn't even find out my precise age after examining me. Don't be so foolish.
+Haradion Drogon Yes but what Dawkins says is true. Sorted
Wow, you are really giving an impressive example of your "love thy neighbour" attitude!
What possible comfort or awe can be taken knowing that you're connected to a mountain by a quantum field? You can't think for it. You can't feel anything it might feel. It cares nothing for you, or anything else. There's no comfort there. It's about as awesome as the number 413.
they're not beliefs, its what we know according to the most recent scientific discoveries. of course that will change as we discover more (assuming we manage to continue to educate our children), but for now its the most precise model we have of the universe.
actually, he's saying never stop questioning.
Regardless of this interview and Richards book here, at least Dawkins is actually doing something in the name of science
I don't understand why there had to be light before the fourth day?
He’s brilliant because of his belief in the beauty - the magic - of truth and reality.
does nobody ever think the bible describes true stories but tells them in a mythological way? so it's not meant to be interpreted literally
peace blud That would mean it is subject to interpretation, and one person's interpretation would be as valid as another's, so you then are disagreeing with all those who claim the bible is God's word inerrant word used to guide humans through life. It can't be both.
no just think its written back when people didnt know as much about science as people do now
Would that not be the stupidest most ridiculous and pointless way to tell a true story?
A belief in a God in any shape or form equals ignorance and insecurity.
What an arrogant and intolerant person you are as are all the people who liked your comment
Id say you are far more ignorant and a far greater bigot than 98% of believers in the almighty
Paxo shows the difference between US and UK interviewers "do you really care that there are a lot of stupid people around" you're not going to hear that on Fox's version of News Night
Learn to sync the audio with video before uploading to UA-cam.
what? he argues it might be better to believe a comforting but false story against true facts.
its not like anyone expected paxman to do his job and be critical of professor dawkins. Whats the point complaining as the bbc are not going to do anything about this bias news report.
dont see any bias here
"Religious hogwash..." Yes... that seems an adequate description.
I miss Mr Hitchens so much.
Noone knows the whole picture,which is why our best option is to attempt to objectively consider the evidence ,and draw conclusions based on said evidence in order to build a picture of the truth. We call this logical framework SCIENCE , and the results of it are spectacular,hence the way I can use a computer to talk to you. The same process rejects your Bronze age alternative as baseless mythology,and the enemy of Human rationality and progress.
"Then you can't explain how life started either?"
Of course I don't know, ,but as I pointed out before evolution has nothing whatsoever to do with how life started
I already have it on pre-order. Planning on reading it to my 7 year old girl.
I don't think so, he gives a multitude of arguments supported by evidence as to why people should believe him. I don't agree, however, with the basic premise of his book. The whole point of childhood is to suspend reality and believe in myths such as Father Christmas.
All time, space, matter, energy, and force, "exploded" into being from nothing, without cause, and cogent reasoning is supposed to tell us that is not miraculous and wholey separate from a myth??? In what rational realm is the equation, nothing X no one = everything??
Religion was the science of it's day. But then Science took over.
To be honest, Atheists and Theists are just 2 groups of people who genuinely believe that they know the truth, and there is no easier way to persuade the opposite side. However, the only difference between both groups is that Theist (at least Christians) really think they will have afterlife which is comforting while not all Atheist find the truth comforting.
In other words, if someone who really find religion comforting, I wouldn't walk towards them and say something that would ruin their life. If they find it comforting, let them be comforted.
abc1111 - Science, reason and rationality come into it as well, dude. I mean... we have ways of evaluating what is likely to be true, and what is likely to be untrue, you know?
+abc1111 I can see why so many people take this line about religion being comforting - particularly where death is concerned. It should be comforting if it were really true. However, ask yourself this: do atheists feel bereavement more intensely than those who profess belief in heaven? Is their grief actually worse when someone they love dies? Do they fear death more than theists? And if the answer to any of these questions is 'no' (which I think it quite evidently is), then why not? In my opinion the 'comfort' of these beliefs is very superficial, and I suspect that is because people don't really believe these things to their core. Dig away all that faith and you're left with a solid foundation of doubt. Because without doubt, there can be no faith. So, which is more fundamental to human understanding? Incidentally, I used to have a belief in God and heaven. When I realised I didn't believe it anymore, I felt a huge sense of relief - relief that I didn't have to worry about being wrong anymore. And relief that I didn't have to kid myself. It didn't ruin my life, that's for sure.
Little kids love Dinosaurs --and understand how old they are, and why they aren't around today.
Good!
Existentialism doesn't necessarily mean life is meaningless, rather that your existence is what you make of it. How that applies in real life is that you can believe in God, absolutely, but don't make laws for everyone based upon something that only some of them believe, and don't make exceptions (legally, morally) based upon a person's faith. And don't expect not to be made fun of for believing in something you can't prove.
I read this book to my 6 year old and he loved it.
So what about the scientists that believe in God?
It is those who put knowledge before happiness that have over time given you access and the capability to use computers, vaccines, comfortable travel... In what way is that bleak?
I think he got into some trouble calling people who believe in the Old Testament "Stupid".
(Until it was established that this is supported by the evidence)
Neither science nor religion was able to get their lips to move in time with the audio.
I'm still waiting for your reply
Who cares if religious people turn against him? Just because someone religious doesn't say a bad word to you doesn't stop them from being stupid. If you choose to deny this truth then you deny truth itself.
how is this even a 'debate'?? hey parents, just let your kids figure it out on their own... oh ya, they will probably be good people without your myths
"Do you really care that there are a lot of stupid people around?"
"I do actually."
So do I Richard... So do I...
I surely don't think that I'm special. At least not more special as the other 8000000000 'Individualists' around today. But thanks to my Parents and the Biology Teachers at School I had no Problem to grasp Earth's History - and our own. So I think, everyone can comprehend this.
It is not only astonishing but also just scary, because many of those people have influence on our everyday lives, ie. politicians, judges, etc.
I'd be OK with many religious people being out there only if they didn't have such impact on the lifes of non-believers.
Two of the greatest men of the modern age.
i love the way Paxman introduces Dawkins from a very hostile physical position ...arms crossed ...
True, however, when your personal beliefs extend to violence and the murder of other people, for example, hijacking a plane and flying it into building, then it does matter. When beliefs are simply personal, then there shouldn't be a problem, but don't forget those that act upon them and hurt others in the process.
'Magic of Reality'? Wasn't that a Black Sabbath album?
It is a wonderful book. , should be in every school - better than the Bible. To withhold this book from children is a crime. “Children deserve to know the truth"
Why don't we all stick to our own beliefs. Each to their own. Atheists and Religious people should follow their beliefs without offending others.
+Damien Le Roche If religious people wouldn't force their views upon others, we would.
+Damien Le Roche. Sounds ok--but parents shouldn't abuse their kids minds with their own idiotic beliefs---let them be aware of ALL theories and FACTS--to make their own minds up as they grow.
+Philip Croft
That's extremely difficult. What we should teach children is the philosophy of empiricism, rational, and scientific inquiry. That way they'll be able to distinguish between fiction and reality.
It seem's you using this word wrong. Atheists is the peaple, who don't have any beliefs.
Alexander B. "Atheists is the peaple, who don't have any beliefs"
You're wrong but good grammar and spelling mate. Please spread your amazing intelligence to your offspring (if you know what that even is)
whats the evidence for it then ? actual solid evidence?
1. I don't see religion as the enemy of science but rather its predecessor, in that organized religions provided the early regulating force that helped society create the Sciences in the 1st place. The fact that the 2 camps are now bitter rivals is proof that neither group has actually solved the core problem of existence - the need for continual struggle & conflict (Cont...
Well said. Many atheists seem to want to wander down some Deepak Chopra path, or go the other direction and worship technology, rather than taking a more rational approach.
Atheism need not mimic religion.
It's not a profound philosophical point. I never said it was. I'm getting at the fact that the universe is incomprehensibly large and that we are all part of the universe. I don't understand why you are attacking this with such vitriol.
I'm unable to describe our universe with anything less than superlatives. It is undeniably incredible. If you don't find it incredible then you either have something better than the universe or just don't get the point I'm trying to make.
"One if false and one is true." Hahaha, Dawkins FTW!!! So good.
Dawkins is highlighting some wonderful natural stories but he could tone it down a little. For example, at 3:57 "We started off this f***ing planet with fragments of dust"
I think people need to stay open minded, we don’t know everything just yet!!
What is the logical answer for our universe appearing out of nowhere and when subatomic particles appear and disappear where do they disappear to?
I can see some of the pros to this but I really thought Dawkins would have been more intelligent rather than simply trying to shove his "truth" down peoples throats. There can be no denying it is more comforting to hear the fables of a religious/mythical viewpoint other than the "everyman for himself" characteristic evolution has
Who cares which story is more poetic.
The truth is more important than the comfort of weak minded, over sensitive people as more can be achieved for humanity with the truth.
I do hope he's included the Nephilim giants and how the Pyramids and ancient megaliths were built and how knowledgeable people were 10s of thousands of years ago on the workings of the universe way before we did !.........I think Dawkins knows a lot more than he lets on but sticks to Darwinism as a notoriety on the subject to keep us off track
I used to believe in God, then I used my imagination and imagined if there was no God!
It was even more mysterious, more spellbinding, more rich....the universe seemed FAR MORE GRAND when it doesn't have recently evolved primates at the centre of 13.7 billion years of expansion.
Do you have the imagination?
Yes. Fortunately, no one actually believes in "random particles" and "slime".
Dawkins seems to think science has 'almost' solved the mystery of the existence of a universe and has 'all but' decoded the complexities of life. I doubt whether someone who really knew what he is talking about would say such a thing. How could he be so sure about this? After all he is part and product of life and of universe. Why would life and universe have elected his brains to understand themselves?
I read magic to my son's 5 and 7 years ald, they take it ok, but I try to change some words and frases to the simpler one, and to make comments on my own.
Those people are just hypocrites. They were taught religion at a very young age and haven't questioned it since. There are actually plenty of people like that. To question your religion you need to have some interest in philosophy and many people such as economists, engineers or technicians don't have that interest, they focus only on practical things. Such people despite often being fairly intelligent may live whole their lives without renouncing their religion.
As Hitchins said, it depends on your mood, we are all either stardust...or nuclear waste.
i came on here to say something similar (not as eloquent probably), well said friend.
Very good professor and genuinely concerned about society of today and the future generations
genesis- ''as long as you don't think it's true. The trouble is that 40 per cent of the American people think it's literally true.''
Then why don't you keep your insulting opinions to yourself and let people believe what they want to believe. People can figure out what is true for themselves, after all, no one should care what other people believe; you are your own person.
You could give kids Harry Potter or Narnia or The Alchemist or literally the millions of children's books that do not talking about killings gays or stoning adulteres.
I've ordered my copy already.
5:20 best answer. so simple yet so true.
Sounds like a wonderful book.
what dawkins is saying is absolutely morally true. all you need as a kid is a little bit of help and liberal minded parenting and you work this stuff out for yourself, father christmas doesnt exist, logically, religion heaven and hell and god, just doesn't make sense. and slowly you begin to work the world out. There is still room for spiritual enlightenment and imagination and mythology and stories and play.
the more kids have a helping hand in working out their own reality the better.
This interview starts on a fairly null point and goes nowhere.
the whole point of childhood is to grow up
"Counterblast of fact" is pure Day Today
In another hundred years or so people in the future will find religion hilarious
Yeah, the Jews said the same thing about Christianity 2000 years ago..............go figure.
a lot of people already do!
I already do
Don't count on it.
Science is far too honest for many people.
Jeremy Paxman's lack of love for evolution is evident in this interview and in his rather rude approach to Alice Roberts in this Newsnight item: ua-cam.com/video/1LvcOcv9wcA/v-deo.html . According to Wikipedia, Paxman read English at university and that's no surprise when you see him in action talking to someone who actually knows something about science and how the world really works.
If most children were exceptional geniuses then you'd be making a good point. -_-
These two sound like something out of brave new world.....
Santa, Muhammed, Jesus, Moses, the Easter Bunny... All the same to me
so do you think the supernatural mysteriously happens to hover around the 3rd world, or do you think lack of money, and therefore education in africa and parts of asia might play a more substantial role?...
richard dawkins.............such a legend.
boyce boyley fortunately a living one
You're completley missing the point. It doesn't 'just sound nice', it fills me with awe and wonder because it's so amazing. I appreciate the universe because I try to understand it. I read books and ponder things. I don't even know what you mean with the last bit. Without our universe, without atoms you wouldn't even exist, I really don't get what you're trying to say. That no one should view our existance in this universe as amazing?
Explain in Lehmans terms what you mean.