Intelligent life on a planet comes of age when it first works out the reason for its own existence. Richard Dawkins on age
I was confirmed at my prep school at the age of 13. Richard Dawkins on age
When I say that human beings are just gene machines, one shouldn't put too much emphasis on the word 'just.' There is a very great deal of complication, and indeed beauty in being a gene machine. Richard Dawkins on beauty
Design can never be an ultimate explanation for anything. It can only be a proximate explanation. A plane or a car is explained by a designer but that's because the designer himself, the engineer, is explained by natural selection. Richard Dawkins on car
Personally, I rather look forward to a computer program winning the world chess championship. Humanity needs a lesson in humility. Richard Dawkins on computers
The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference. Richard Dawkins on design
Design can never be an ultimate explanation for anything. It can only be a proximate explanation. A plane or a car is explained by a designer but that's because the designer himself, the engineer, is explained by natural selection. Richard Dawkins on design
Segregation has no place in the education system. Richard Dawkins on education
But perhaps the rest of us could have separate classes in science appreciation, the wonder of science, scientific ways of thinking, and the history of scientific ideas, rather than laboratory experience. Richard Dawkins on experience
Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence. Richard Dawkins on faith
The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry. Richard Dawkins on faith
If children understand that beliefs should be substantiated with evidence, as opposed to tradition, authority, revelation or faith, they will automatically work out for themselves that they are atheists. Richard Dawkins on faith
At least the fundamentalists haven't tried to dilute their message. Their faith is exposed for what it is for all to see. Richard Dawkins on faith
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out. Richard Dawkins on funny
Evolution never looks to the future. Richard Dawkins on future
We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further. Richard Dawkins on god
A universe with a God would look quite different from a universe without one. A physics, a biology where there is a God is bound to look different. So the most basic claims of religion are scientific. Religion is a scientific theory. Richard Dawkins on god
The question of whether there exists a supernatural creator, a God, is one of the most important that we have to answer. I think that it is a scientific question. My answer is no. Richard Dawkins on god
God exists, if only in the form of a meme with high survival value, or infective power, in the environment provided by human culture. Richard Dawkins on god
The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference. Richard Dawkins on good