'There is grandeur in this view of life' by Richard Dawkins, AAI 2009

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  • Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
  • Richard Dawkins' talk at the 2009 Atheist Alliance International Conference in Burbank, California. He expands the last paragraph of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" as a framework for the talk. This is also the framework for the last chapter of Dawkins' new book "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution".
    See more about "The Greatest Show on Earth" at:
    richarddawkins....
    Download Quicktime
    Web: c0116791.cdn.cl...
    720p HD: c0116791.cdn.cl...
    Produced by the Richard Dawkins Foundation and R. Elisabeth Cornwell
    Filmed by
    Josh Timonen
    Edited by
    Joel Pashby

КОМЕНТАРІ • 388

  • @sun1908
    @sun1908 3 роки тому +5

    44 minutes of scientific poetry on life. “The information on how to handle the present to survive into the future is necessarily gleaned from the past.” This sums it all..
    RD is indeed among the giants contributing to our cultural memory shaping the future of humanity and life. Thank you !!!

  • @AxiomApe
    @AxiomApe 8 років тому +16

    "We find ourselves perched on one tiny twig, in the midst of a blossoming tree of life. "

    • @ShadowZZZ
      @ShadowZZZ 5 років тому +2

      that part in the symphony of science clip is just lit af

  • @heathenwizard
    @heathenwizard 12 років тому +5

    I love Dr. Dawkin's books. He has a wonderful way of making complex scientific concepts so brilliantly simple.

  • @M.O.C.2023
    @M.O.C.2023 10 років тому +17

    The most eloquently I've ever heard the man speak.

  • @BelgianBicyclist
    @BelgianBicyclist 13 років тому +2

    Dawkins is a mastery of analogies that makes the science accessible to the rest of us. I love the idea of the body's antibodies being "memories" of an illness like chicken pox and anti-biotics being introduced to the body as "false memories", thus tricking the body.

  • @beachcomber2008
    @beachcomber2008 15 років тому +4

    Only five stars for this channel
    I come here to raise the quality of my life

  • @quemoiettoi
    @quemoiettoi 7 місяців тому

    Words etched in the stone of our existence. What a beautiful recitation

  • @Almanildo
    @Almanildo 15 років тому +2

    What a fantastically inspiring talk.

  • @DrVonRhein
    @DrVonRhein 9 років тому +3

    can't believe this one has only a little over 90 000 views so far, considering the fact that the video is on youtube since 2009... anyway, this is a great lecture

  • @bliteryhong
    @bliteryhong 11 років тому +2

    pleased Prof.Dawkins~ come and visit Korea to spread your words. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU LONG TIME!

  • @Basaltq
    @Basaltq 15 років тому +3

    Inspiring presentation. I feel like studying some science.

  • @niginit
    @niginit 15 років тому

    Forty five minutes of pure awesome.
    Thanks Richard
    Anyone who denies, simply doesn't understand.
    Which is why you feel a responsibility to educate them.
    I applaud you.

  • @JonahInWales
    @JonahInWales 12 років тому +1

    Well said

  • @IanDateMusic
    @IanDateMusic 15 років тому +1

    a great presentation by RD

  • @Karpify
    @Karpify 12 років тому +1

    This is a wonderfully fascinating book, and you should all read it

  • @bellarosalarsen1638
    @bellarosalarsen1638 5 років тому

    Missed you, Richard. I like to see you alone. had such a painful needless cruel day. Have to end my day with you, so I know not all scientists are horrendous psychopaths. So, so sad. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and light. Your light is very bright. A fan. A serious fan.

  • @dreamkid2
    @dreamkid2 11 років тому +1

    Another great lecture by RD.

  • @DrZenith
    @DrZenith 13 років тому

    Brilliant! As always the good Doctor says it better and more clearly than anyone. I'd like him to be compulsory part of every school child's scientific education, especially in the so-called 'faith' schools.

  • @mfunke
    @mfunke 14 років тому

    I love the pride he tries to hide when people clap to something actually worth clapping for.

  • @mycobovine
    @mycobovine 13 років тому

    I can't even believe Dawkins would waste his time talking to Bill Oriley about evolution - so beautiful and so compelling....

  • @no1saphead
    @no1saphead 15 років тому

    I'm totally speechless.

  • @bewarethelizards42
    @bewarethelizards42 15 років тому +1

    Love these videos! Thank you :D

  • @ianmathwiz7
    @ianmathwiz7 15 років тому +1

    Yet one more great talk from Richard and a great end to the AAI videos

  • @HelplessVictim
    @HelplessVictim 15 років тому

    Actually, I read about a kind of tree system all connected at the root. When a tree in the system falls, its branches begin growing up into new trees in the system.
    Additionally, there's a recenty found species of jellyfish that, after mating, reverts to an earlier stage in its own life cycle, meaning it never dies of old age. Theoretically, if they continue to multiply, a lack of food will cause enough to die of starvation to keep things under control.

  • @waltermh111
    @waltermh111 15 років тому

    I always love the way he speaks.
    His speech skills are top notch.
    Hes one of the best scientists to go public in such a long time, though I know hes not the only good one.
    Somebody whos more hyper on the issues of astronomy is Neil deGrasse Tyson.
    Hes one of the better public speakers on the issue of astronomy.

  • @subpoprec
    @subpoprec 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian I think you're missing something fundamental about what is happening with atheism in the US today. For a very long time (let's say the entire history of the country) atheism was a four letter word. It was something you had to hide from people in casual conversation (and not justly so) lest they noticeably become uncomfortable with speaking to you if they found out you didn't believe in God. Now the dynamic has shifted, thanks largely to this man.

  • @Perrep89
    @Perrep89 15 років тому

    not just a question out of the blue. its made from observations! and theories can certanly be derived from a hypothesis. you observe something, make a hypothesis, you test that hypothesis in different ways, and if you can predict the outcome of the tests, then you can make a theory.. and this was just ONE example, this is not a general one.

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому +1

    @RyanTheChristian My spirituality involves meditation and creativity. It does not require believing in things for which we have no evidence.

  • @Yveld
    @Yveld 11 років тому +2

    Dawkins always has the best ties.

  • @ingenuity168
    @ingenuity168 2 роки тому

    A brilliant academic 👏 ❤

  • @bartonim
    @bartonim 15 років тому

    Dawkins is genius! A brilliant man who ought to be a politician or host his own top-rated TV programme. Sadly, we're stuck with God-fearing politicians and loud-mouthed media thugs.

  • @giggletronics
    @giggletronics 15 років тому

    you're right, i remember reading the same recently about the underwater lifeform. so take out my all other forms of life statement. the mode of operation must be very different though than the scenario of more 'traditional' organisms living for a very long time where you start as an embryo and progress into adulthood then die.

  • @denisasitis
    @denisasitis 15 років тому

    @Guitarking40 you are a deep thinker , and such a profound comment too. A mind like a stteel trap.

  • @ThePhilosorpheus
    @ThePhilosorpheus 15 років тому

    Well, I am talking about the people who say that certainly there is no god, not the ones that doubt it´s existance, otherwise I would be contradicting myself, I agree with every word you said

  • @BrendanBeckett
    @BrendanBeckett 15 років тому

    Surprised to hear Richard Dawkins make the mistake of confusing punishment with negative reinforcement. Reinforcement always enhances a tendancy to do something, whether it's negative or positive. Punishment reduces tendancy to do something.

  • @roadkillrabbit69
    @roadkillrabbit69 13 років тому

    I liked his tie better when I thought it had a pterosaur on it -rather than the hawk? Eagle?

  • @mimi12385
    @mimi12385 13 років тому

    @iwanttocrashmybike Never think for yourself... Why, that is a very noble thought. People who think only for themselves are selfish characters.

  • @supernova046
    @supernova046 4 роки тому +1

    NIKE should sponsor Dawkins - one life live it

  • @subpoprec
    @subpoprec 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian He has encouraged non-believers to call a spade a spade and openly say what they feel about religion. This is something really unprecedented the collective memory of the US and GB. The religious community has never before had a substantial percentage of the population (10-12% in the US) openly reject it's claims. So, what may FEEL like persecutory hatred to you is really just "You know, that idea really sounds certifiably crazy. I've just never been able to say it until now."

  • @nosafespace
    @nosafespace 15 років тому

    Just because life preservation evolved in the brain for one purpose doesn't mean it's the ONLY reason for the process. The saddest thing I can think of about dieing is to not be able to see and know the future of us beings on planet earth. Complexity is just interesting and life is valuable for this reason. Put me through the worst pain available to man, take away my ability for children but give me the ability to see the continuation of life past my own death and i'll take it 100%.

  • @hackenbollox
    @hackenbollox 15 років тому

    If you do a search for 'Hitchens', one of the first vids that comes up is a lecture from authors@google.

  • @lowellisaac
    @lowellisaac 14 років тому

    @chipleeiii Why should a creator be unknowable? That seems to be something theists often hide behind: we can't explain, understand, demonstrate, test for the existence of god-- yet the idea is supposed to have validity. If there is a creator, whether it came from somewhere or somehow 'always existed' then it must still be knowable. Everything that exists must be knowable.

  • @niginit
    @niginit 15 років тому

    You're in for a world of delight. Go search out his lectures and debates. Fantastic stuff. Makes you cry, laugh, and most importantly, it makes you think.
    Have fun.

  • @johnnytastetest
    @johnnytastetest 15 років тому

    That's correct. We're all evolving into old people.

  • @chronus671
    @chronus671 15 років тому

    great speech but i would disagree about a star being the only source of energy. case in point, Europa uses friction, derived from orbiting Jupiter, to gain heat.

  • @StuartHetzler
    @StuartHetzler 15 років тому

    Just because something is being given away for free doesn't mean the overall goal isn't to make money. Just look at those people who give free samples of products out in stores.

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian yes, the Bible tells you not to think, as my preacher uncle reminds me frequently. it tells you to follow blindly. example: Proverbs 3:5-6 : "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." And I agree that everyone has a dark side, but that's what makes it so incredible when you see truly good and moral people. They have defeated that darkness on their own. you don't need God to do that, you just need strong character and integrity.

  • @WanderingPulsar
    @WanderingPulsar 14 років тому +1

    Oh Dawkins, You're such a dreamboat.

  • @yatter1
    @yatter1 12 років тому

    Then you don´t know as much as you think you do, his arguments for god are TOTALLY rooted in his ideas about substance.

  • @fknrdcls
    @fknrdcls 15 років тому

    Awesome! So how much should I ask for my soul? It's in good condition, never used, still in original packaging...???

  • @bradnful
    @bradnful 11 років тому +1

    Awesome. Just awesome! Life is just awesome. So much more interesting and amazing than "God created it".

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @DishonostyFromHarris Harris likes certain things from eastern religions, specifically their empirical approach to spirituality. He doesn't believe in their gods or superstitions. Read his last chapter of The End of Faith, entitled Experiments in Consciousness (or search for the audio-book reading of this chapter on UA-cam) to learn more. There is nothing hypocritical about his beliefs.

  • @Helmer2
    @Helmer2 15 років тому

    Applause.

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian It's not all genetics, there's also how you are raised and how good you are at logic and empathy. Free will happens to be an illusion, since you asked, but it's a working illusion (just like religion) because of the limits of the human mind. We can't experience the 4th dimension, time, because we are restricted to 3 dimensions. And so, "we don't know, but neither do you" is a perfectly logical thing to say when people claim to know things that cannot possibly be known.

  • @AsFewFalseThingsAsPossible
    @AsFewFalseThingsAsPossible 15 років тому

    Just in case, you can get it on ebay or abebooks for a MAXimum of $25, and second hand a lot cheaper, so why not get your own copy ?

  • @mickeypopa
    @mickeypopa 14 років тому

    Why Richard never mentions Nikola Tesla in his speeches of previous minds and accomplished scientists who left their knowledge and genius to humanity? :(

  • @Jimpsterr
    @Jimpsterr 14 років тому

    I'm half way through O.G Species and he's going to ruining by telling me the last paragraph? I can't watch the rest, but for the record, I think the butler did it.

  • @BeekersSqueakers
    @BeekersSqueakers 15 років тому

    29:51, Does anyone find it strange that the guys sign is anti-entropy? I thought creationists like entropy because they think it disproves evolution. If there was no entropy they wouldn't have an argument in that regard.

  • @hurley3000gt
    @hurley3000gt 15 років тому

    Exactly at minute 25:00 Dawkins pronounces the word Fungi incorrectly. It is pronounced "Fun-Jie." I'm surprised he made that mistake. Oh well.

  • @yatter1
    @yatter1 12 років тому

    Yes I have read all of those and a lot more besides. What´s your point? I didn´t insult anyone, I insulted an idea, a stupid idea and was quite correct to do so.

  • @pnerd
    @pnerd 15 років тому

    "Just as silly as to assume something is not there because you can't prove it is there."
    But that assumption is falsifiable, unlike the assumption that something is there just because you can't prove it's not there.

  • @isamelbousserghini
    @isamelbousserghini 15 років тому

    Anyone who offends rather than teaches for the sake of generating more sales revenue is not worthy of teaching others.There are countless people like myself who understood the subtleties of Darwin's theory and had time and resources to check the evidence but never offended religious people. The second point I strongly disagree on is that Richard
    portrays religion as evil. Well I have news for him. Religion is the heritage of humanity and greatly contributed to civilising people.

  • @shibapa
    @shibapa 15 років тому

    Richard Dawkins, I love your tie

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian p.s. I should also add, I'm not a blind follower of Dawkins as you clearly want to frame me. I haven't even read his book on atheism. You know, he's more than just a famous atheist. He was a brilliant evolutionary biologist, science author, and Oxford professor before becoming a famous atheist. Dude knows his stuff xD

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian And that's a good point, we have both "chosen truth," but obviously we can't both be right. only one of us is correct, and so we must look at our own personal reasons for believing what we believe. So far you have listed such reasons as "billions believe it" and "it's useful and makes me happy," neither of which relate to "Truth." Only doubt can lead to new certainties, and anyone with sufficient skill in self-examination will reject the religions we've invented (Freud)

  • @fjoo
    @fjoo 14 років тому

    They are hard on religion as a push back, some more reasonable than others, but in principle what they say is that we should treat religion the same way we treat all other things, with sceptisism until the proof lives up to the claim. They don't say there is no god, they say there is nothing to suggest there is, so we will treat it along the lines of all other ideas and gods that has been around through history. (unicorns, thor, odin, allah, lochness monster, etc.)

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian That's it! you have hit the question: "why would you get bored of happiness?" Of course you would! People in the West have such a naive idea of happiness. You need to experience sadness and pain in order to have happiness and ecstasy, both sides in equal measure. The night is just as long as the day. there is no such thing as eternal happiness or eternal suffering, because one inevitably gives rise to the other. this is a very basic realization

  • @userwl2850
    @userwl2850 15 років тому +1

    the best mind in england.

  • @Perrep89
    @Perrep89 15 років тому

    it is a theory. the hypothesis was made many years ago, and has not been full proven. But because there are so many things that points to the hypothesis about evolution, it makes it into a theory. imo.

  • @Conor1928
    @Conor1928 15 років тому

    you atheists should really listen to john mackay he really makes alot of sense and I know it is always tempting to keep on listening to richard because you guys respect him so much but it is always good to question whether your theory is correct so listen to john when you can he's very good, you most probably will learn some facts which will challenge your theory even more, let me know how you do ;)

  • @jamesharrel
    @jamesharrel 15 років тому

    Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes x 10 (at least), we can indeed argue that the venture was to make money. It is a marketing device designed to lead people to his money-making ministry, through which he sells the 70 books he's written.
    That's like saying that since Coca-Cola pays for their commercial to be on regular TV, at their own expense, which costs me nothing to watch, that their commercial isn't trying to make them money.

  • @gmtx12
    @gmtx12 14 років тому

    Wow, what a witty comment! How clever, I see you have altered the first syllable of Mr. Dawkins' name for hilarious comic effect! How did you come up with that one, what a stroke of genius!

  • @KaslarProductions
    @KaslarProductions 13 років тому

    at 25:23 he says an organism that does not have the same DNA as everything else... and I can't fain anything on the web about them... someone please help me find them... I spelled it "harem scariotes" or "harum scareotes" along with many other variations with no avail...

  • @psych0185
    @psych0185 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian
    Atheists don't hate god. How can someone hate something he doesn't believe in?

  • @mikeyo1234
    @mikeyo1234 14 років тому

    @TekLok Actually in the Matrix movie there's no proof cited in the plot that when they break out of the Matrix that that 'reality' isn't just another layer in the Matrix!

  • @mickeypopa
    @mickeypopa 14 років тому

    @pyr666
    And really the last thing, and this is purely educational:
    to belittle someone is to take away from his/hers work and accomplishments for greater good of all people and make him/her sound like no one, like just another average Joe.
    Telling an average Joe (such as yourself) that he/she is an average Joe (and an arrogant one) is not belittling, it's just setting the record straight.
    I hope you didn't enjoy this, because it's not meant to be enjoyable.
    Over and out.

  • @smthngdffrnt
    @smthngdffrnt 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian
    Please elaborate. I'm curious how you manage to rationalize such claims.

  • @gumme1234
    @gumme1234 12 років тому

    @virtualguitarist I can see your reason to laugh at it, because it is so fun to consider the fact that one of my ancestors were not even a cell.
    That is the amazing thing about life, it is greatly powerful to adapt to the situaion.

  • @yatter1
    @yatter1 12 років тому

    No, I meant monotheism, theism has been around a whole lot longer but I´m not concerned with old greek or roman gods, just the 3 monotheistic faiths.

  • @iwanttocrashmybike
    @iwanttocrashmybike 13 років тому

    Behold the great prophet Dawkins has spoken,now buy his book,sign up to his business's, and never think for yourself.

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian That's the spirit :D just don't forget to read lots of other books too.

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian You'd be surprised how much you can answer about the Big Questions if you wait, and keep thinking before making that leap into what you simply hope is true or find useful. I could invent a religion and new gods right now that would be more useful than any religion in existence, and it would still be false. It's just a "useful illusion," like many others perpetuated in human psychology. It feels good to answer the tough questions, even if your answers are wrong.

  • @ThePhilosorpheus
    @ThePhilosorpheus 15 років тому

    Do you really think the pain we would go throught to take one more breath is proof of a natural love for life? It is our instinct of survival, the strongest of all instincts, which serve to the purpous of reproduction. People living in miserable conditions do not wish to die precisely because of their ignorance, all they can trust is their instincts.
    then I must ask, what is your definition of foolishness?

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian The fact that the universe is expanding??? that is extraordinary, monumental evidence. The fact that a whale has 5 finger-bones in its fin, indicating a common ancestor with humans? That is some freakin extraordinary evidence. Surely God can come up with something better than an obscene old book.

  • @cat8me
    @cat8me 15 років тому

    I do not think I suffer from Bipolarity...Although sometimes I do feel like I am two different people.

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian As I already told you, yes I have "experienced God" and found it to be an delusion. I was honestly a christian for over 20 years, and I experienced authentic religious revelation and spirituality. Therefore I'm not "biased" against it, I have simply realized that it is a self-dishonest illusory fairy-tale, and the spiritual experiences came from my own brain, not from outside sources like wizards or gods. Since then I have purged my spirituality of religious mumbo-jumbo

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому +1

    @RyanTheChristian I have faith in my creative talents/abilities, and the abilities of men, to do things which are possible to do. I don't need to have faith in scientific observations and theories which have evidence. I also don't need faith to NOT believe in a god which has NO evidence to support it. Faith is a belief that is not based on proof or evidence, as the dictionary tells us. So you're right I have reasonable faith in men, as we all should, but not metaphysical faith in gods.

  • @fjoo
    @fjoo 14 років тому

    I think you reach a conclusion here. If this is your point of view, then there is no problem. Case closed in your case, I have no problem with this. The problem, however, is that most people don't take your view, they say their subjective experience is strong enough to make claims that effects others. Like make legislation, set the basis for morality, etc. Which means there is still a need for Dawkins' push back. If some things are to be universal, then the evidence has to be objective.

  • @YourUTubeMonitor
    @YourUTubeMonitor 13 років тому

    @TomFynn : Do family members support your decision to have an abortion?

  • @4beach
    @4beach 14 років тому

    just saw the new synthetic cell technology on TED

  • @aburling7
    @aburling7 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian No, the open-minded Atheist would say it's very silly to think there is a creator considering that the idea came from a 4th millenia B.C. desert nomad who knew very little about the world and assumed angels and talking snakes existed. So common sesnse says its more logical to NOT believe it than TO believe it. Or at least its as sensable as flying elephants and tooth-faries.

  • @alabamamothman2986
    @alabamamothman2986 5 років тому

    WOW !!! ALL this happened by pure chance. No Way...

  • @johnnytastetest
    @johnnytastetest 15 років тому

    I've evolved to the point where I no longer need money.

  • @nosafespace
    @nosafespace 15 років тому

    we're all just very lucky to be here and if you believe in god you might get mistaken that it wasn't luck which would make you a complete fool

  • @SovietSR71
    @SovietSR71 14 років тому

    @RyanTheChristian I'm talking about real Eastern meditation--freedom from the self. Not just deep reflection, deep thought, or relaxation (the stunted Western idea of meditation). I have already referred you to the last chapter of Sam Harris's /The End of Faith/, entitled "Experiments in Consciousness" (or you can hear the audio-book version on UA-cam), if you really want to learn more, and experience non-deluded spirituality. BTW this wasn't a debate, it was your beliefs getting trounced xD

  • @gimmypih
    @gimmypih 14 років тому

    "and STILL no one has provided a shred of evidence against God."
    You can't prove that there isn't a tiny magic invisible pixie in my knee either. I could write a book about it and everything.

  • @RMunchSondergaard
    @RMunchSondergaard 14 років тому

    @mfunke Thanks for pointing this out! ^^

  • @AutodidacticPhd
    @AutodidacticPhd 14 років тому

    What I believe is this. Existence claims about supernatural things are close to meaningless for the simple fact that they are based almost exclusively on anecdotal evidence if any evidence at all. I humor the claims of people who are talking about something other than God because they're often nice folks who don't have a habit of insisting their claim be shoved down everyone else's throat. The word "God", on the other hand, tends to hang on the lips of the less tolerant and narrow minded.

  • @latuman
    @latuman 15 років тому

    What peer reviewed papers have this Mackay published that challenge the theory of evolution? Surely he has published some, otherwise why would you even mention him?

  • @NobilisBellator
    @NobilisBellator 15 років тому

    That's how they are packaged it would seem...:-) According to the definitions in Wiki, Humanists are by definition also Atheist, but Atheists are not necessarily Humanists. Aren't we glad he's both?....:-)