The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins (Richard Dawkins)

Is white privilege the modern day Original Sin? How is mass denial about the truth of gender, any different from Catholic transubstantiation? Is woke culture today's dogmatic religious mob?

Join me and Dr Peter Boghossian as we explore these questions and more in another episode of The Poetry Of Reality.

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I first encountered Lawrence Krauss sometime in the early 2000s at a conference. I had just given my lecture and was answering questions when a rather small man with a loud voice and a highly articulate manner stood up and began berating me in what I initially thought was an aggressive manner. It turned out he wasn’t being aggressive; rather, his clear and direct way of speaking seemed forceful compared to the usual, more roundabout way people talk. Intrigued, I sought him out in the bar afterward, and we had a good discussion. This man was, of course, the distinguished physicist and public intellectual Lawrence Krauss. Shortly afterward, we continued our friendly disagreement in the pages of Scientific American, back when the publication still focused on science. Since then, I’ve interacted with Lawrence on stage more often than with anyone else. The following recording was made at Stanford University around 2007 and exemplifies how two people can have a fruitful public discussion without a chairman and outside of a debate format. The nature of our initial disagreement forms a good part of the discussion itself, so I won’t spoil it here. I hope you enjoy it.

When language is warped to redefine “violence” as including the non-physical act of "misgendering" (Which I might see it as a mild discourtesy), yet excludes incitement to real violence, such as "If you see a TERF, punch them in the fucking face," and when obvious satire is characterized as bigotry, you have to wonder whether debate will be shackled not by fear of Big Brother or the Stasi, but by fear of each other.

Richard Dawkins and Taryn Southern are back for another thought-provoking Q&A session, tackling a wide range of fascinating topics. From Richard’s personal epiphany moments to his thoughts on AI, alien life, and the origins of the universe, this episode delves deep into the mysteries of evolution, intelligence, and existence. Other audience questions dive into topics like inherited knowledge, the evolution of survival instincts, and whether animals truly understand death. Richard also shares his thoughts and experiments on ChatGPT, the limits of human invention, and the most compelling theories about how our universe came to be. Referenced Articles: A conversation between Dawkins and ChatGPT - https://substack.com/home/post/p-1573... Sonnets by ChatGPT - https://substack.com/home/post/p-1583...

This episode features me in direct debate with Christian political conservative Wendy Wright. We talk about teaching evolution in schools, the "controversy" it poses for religious conservatives, about the evidence-base, truth and intolerance towards differences.

She brings up dogmatism in the scientific community, and I push back about enabled ignorance in her own, while we share a mutual desire for human altruism and empathy.

Derren Brown is one of our leading conjurers, specializing in mentalism, the illusion of reading people’s minds. I interviewed him for my Channel 4 TV documentary, Enemies of Reason. We talked about cold reading and how the technique is used by frauds who pretend to communicate with the dead, as well as by honest conjurers. Derren himself is an honest conjurer and a sharp critic of charlatans who abuse their skills, lucratively pretending to supernatural powers, which of course, they don’t have. I have just listened to the interview again, and I must say I find it one of the more interesting interviews I have done. See if you agree.

Richard Dawkins is coming for the world's psychics, telepaths and spiritualist practitioners in this episode, with his relentless curiosity and pursuit for revealing the truth against all odds. Richard fearlessly confronts psychic Craig Hamilton Parker in a quest to unravel the mysteries of spiritualist practices. He rigorously channels his dedication to exposing scams and dismantling delusions as he challenges Parker's claims about communicating with the spirit world, with razor-sharp logic and unyielding skepticism. Watch as this back-and-forth sheds light on the truth behind the veil of mysticism and explores science's long battle with mediums. Skepticism vs belief, faith vs empirical evidence, reason vs the fog of deception - who wins this round?

In this episode I go beyond the abstract to the appalling treatment of Rana Ahmad, a brave young woman from Saudi Arabia. A student of physics, she became an atheist and had to flee from her family. She found refuge in Germany and published a book, Women Aren’t Allowed to Dream, which became a Spiegel bestseller. She bravely speaks out about the dangers in the Muslim world faced by those accused of apostasy. In this episode I interview her and am deeply moved by her courage.

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Michael Shermer is an American science writer, historian of science, and executive director of The Skeptics Society. He and I spoke about God, reason, morality, science and the future, in a good-humored discussion in Berlin, 2018, under the auspices of the German branch of the Richard Dawkins Foundation.

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ 

I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you’re ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. 

There’ll be a Q & A at every event. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I’ve written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you.

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In this episode, Richard Dawkins talks to Adrian Hawkes about science, education, Christianity, and more.
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This is Christopher Hitchens’s last interview. An abridged transcript was published in New Statesman at the time.

What is life? What came before the Big Bang? Why is natural selection so inherently cruel? How does one find meaning? Join Richard Dawkins in this Q&A with Taryn Southern, where he answers all your burning questions.

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In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Coleman Hughes. Coleman Hughes is a writer, podcast host, and social commentator, known for his work on race, culture, and social issues. He hosts the podcast Conversations with Coleman, where he engages in deep discussions on various social topics, often challenging conventional views. This was filmed at Winspear Opera House Dallas, Texas, USA, on the 4th of September 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour.

Why are there two sexes, and how is the balance between the two maintained in evolution? The riddle is one that baffled Chales Darwin. He explicitly left it for later generations. It was eventually solved, with typical brilliance, by the great Ronald Fisher. The fundamental sexual inequality is an economic one. Eggs are hugely larger than sperm. From this much follows. Why do peacocks have such a ridiculously large, ornamental “tail”, when it obviouly must put them in danger? Do females go for male beauty for beauty’s sake (as Darwin thought, and Fisher explained)? Or are males advertising some useful quality (as AlfredWallace, Darwin's co-discoverer of natural selection, insisted). Is the peacock’s tail favoured in spite of being a handicap? Or could it be favoured precisely becuse it is a costly handicap? Does it have to be costly as a certificate of honesty? Do females only go for honest males? This is a talk I gave on a ship crusing the Galapagos archipelago.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Steven Pinker about evolution, his motivation for writing The Blind Watchmaker, and a breakdown of his latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author, and public intellectual. He is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. This was filmed in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Carolyn Porco about gene immortality, ancestral traits, the extended phenotype, extraterrestrial life, criticisms of religion and atheism, followed by audience questions. This episode was filmed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on the Oct 31st 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Carolyn Porco is a renowned planetary scientist and science communicator best known for leading the imaging science team on NASA’s Cassini mission to Saturn, where she played a pivotal role in major discoveries such as the geysers on Enceladus and the potential for extraterrestrial habitability. Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVw Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richard_dawkins/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

I interviewed Alister McGrath for my Channel 4 documentary, Root of All Evil. He is a theologian, a nice enough fellow, but I wouldn't go out of your way to listen to this interview unless it's to remind yourself what an empty, vacuous, non-subject theology is.
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As part of his 2024 tour, Richard Dawkins engaged in an insightful conversation with Alex O'Connor at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles on September 28th. They discuss Dawkins' latest book; The Genetic Book of the Dead, religion, evolution, and concludes with a Q&A session. Alex O’Connor is a YouTuber, writer, and public speaker, best known as the host of the Within Reason podcast, with over one million subscribers on YouTube. He has appeared on television programs such as Piers Morgan Uncensored, BBC Sunday Morning Live, and Channel 4 News. O’Connor has debated and discussed topics including the philosophy of religion, free speech, monarchy abolitionism, and skepticism with notable figures such as Richard Dawkins, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Slavoj Žižek.

Break the Science Barrier is a TV documentary that I presented on Channel 4 in 1996. It argues for the importance, for society, of scientific ways of thinking. In it, I interviewed David Attenborough, Alec Jeffreys, who discovered DNA fingerprinting, and Douglas Adams, who gave a wonderful impromptu eulogy for science. I also interviewed a man who was wrongly convicted of murder because none of the lawyers, on either side, knew anything about science. The program ends on a more positive note – what I later came to call Science in the Soul.

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I interviewed American biologist Jerry Coyne and author of 'Faith vs Fact: Why Science and Religion are Incompatible' and 'Why Evolution Is True'.

We covered a myriad of controversial topics plaguing our world today: from the religious conflict in Gaza to modern-day struggles with freedom of speech, from the prospect of revolt against oppression to considering the demands of the Maori people, and also on affirmative action and the debate about race.

The origin of our universe is one of the greatest mysteries we face. Why is there something rather than nothing? How did we come to exist in a world with such precise laws of nature?

How we answer these questions determines everything, from the meaning of our lives to the secrets of our futures.

This episode of The Poetry Of Reality features Jack Symes in conversation with Richard Dawkins, joined by Jessica Frazier speaking on Hinduism, Silvia Jonas speaking on Jewish philosophy, and Richard Swinburne defending Christianity.

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I have long wanted to meet John McWhorter. He’s an extremely well-known public intellectual and opinion leader who, in my opinion, always talks sense. I have this rather eccentric idea that before becoming a public intellectual, you need to earn your credentials by having something important and interesting to be intellectual about, and John McWhorter qualifies in a big way. He is a world authority on linguistics, the study of the extraordinary phenomenon of human language, which I think is one of the most important and interesting subjects out there. 

We both spoke at the Dissident Dialogues conference in New York this year, and I seized the opportunity to invite him onto The Poetry of Reality. I was delighted and honored when he accepted. I began by asking him about linguistics, including the vexed question of the origin of language.

Only later did we move on to his more controversial book, a book that I strongly recommend, “Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America.

I led a classroom of London high schoolers for a Channel 4 documentary, on the subject of Charles Darwin and evolution. It inspired questions from curious young minds that I then engaged with - about the nature of religious belief, about time and space, and about the truth of the origin of life.

This episode features a conversation I had with Paula Kirby at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in Scotland, tackling themes of life as we know it - how it came to be on earth, and where else it may occur in our universe. 

We mused on the likelihood of alien lifeforms appearing god-like to humans, the probability of there being multiple versions of us in parallel universes, and other topics arising.

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Why won’t ChatGPT dispute the existence of God? What is the evolutionary purpose of wonder and awe in the face of nature? Can a community exist independent of religion? And can we expand the human lifespan? Find out the answers to these and more, as I take on all your questions. 
 

In February of this year, I toured Australia and New Zealand, being interviewed on stage by a different interviewer in each of six cities. One memorable stop was Perth, where I was interviewed by Tom Nash. I was touched that he began by asking me about my relationship with my beloved mentor, John Michael Cullen before Michael moved from Oxford to Australia.

During the interview with Tom, we discussed a great variety of topics including dogs, peacocks, memes, extraterrestrial life, and what is a woman?

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Deepak Chopra is a medical doctor with mystical leanings, who has built a highly successful second career as a purveyor of alternative remedies, and deepities that I would say – and here, I suppose I show my bias – impress those who think that if they can’t understand something it must be profoundly significant. As part of my Channel Four documentary Enemies of Reason, I asked him to explain his concept of Quantum Healing. We went on from there.

Satish Kumar was one of those I interviewed for my Channel 4 documentary, ‘Enemies of Reason.’ He began by telling a nice story about Bertrand Russell, whom he met as a young man and who supported him. We moved on to holism, which seemed harmless enough, but as the interview wore on, he became more and more mystical, culminating in the treeness of trees, I couldn't help wondering what Bertrand Russell would have said.

Join me for another thought-provoking Q&A session with Taryn Southern on a wide range of topics, from the ethics of selective breeding and eugenics to western liberal sympathy toward Islam and wokeism. You asked me what I think about trans people, genes and sexual orientation, mindfulness and AI

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This uncut conversation with Father George Coyne of the Catholic Church did not make its way onto the original show on Channel 4 years ago, and I'm glad to be able to give it the attention it deserves today. A devout Catholic and a lover of science, George Coyne provides a fascinating take on traditions of faith, the danger of religious literalism, and how he views evolution as a seamless part of God's work.

Following my dialogue with ChatGPT on whether it is conscious, I thought it would be interesting to look at its poetic creativity. I decided to give it a subject dear to my heart. Link to my Substack - https://richarddawkins.substack.com/

Bill Nye The Science Guy is a cultural icon, and it was my honour to award him the Richard Dawkins 2023 award at CSICON for his exemplary work in making scientific knowledge more accessible. We spoke about everything from life in outer space, to climate change, to improving governance and the quality of life on earth - and how creating a scientifically literate society is, truly, the key. _______________________ 

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Richard Dawkins talks to ethologist Frans de Waal about animal behaviour and whether it is truly altruistic. 
 

Join me in a new conversation with Alex O'Connor as we discuss a range of topics, including Jordan Peterson, Ayaan Hirsi Ali's journey into Christianity, my bafflement at how Alex could stand three years of studying the non-subject of theology, the fear of death, and other things.

Here is my conversation with Helen J on 'The Poetry of Reality', tackling the influence of gender ideology on society, the ideological lens, and its implications for scientific facts.

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In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Alex O’Connor for a breakdown of his latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead. They also reflect on new atheism and the meaning vacuum, Richard’s debate with Jordan Peterson, and the concept of God followed by audience questions. This episode was filmed at New Theatre, Oxford, on the 21st of Oct 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Alex O’Connor is a YouTuber, writer, and public speaker, best known as the host of the Within Reason podcast, with over one million subscribers on YouTube. He has appeared on television programs such as Piers Morgan Uncensored, BBC Sunday Morning Live, and Channel 4 News. O’Connor has debated and discussed topics including the philosophy of religion, free speech, monarchy abolitionism, and skepticism with notable figures such as Richard Dawkins, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Slavoj Žižek.

Is Genetic Inheritance Like Mixing Red and Blue to Get Purple? What Is Natural Selection, and How Does It Create Diverse Life? In this lecture, Richard Dawkins discusses natural selection, Darwinism, and more. 
 

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you’re ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There’ll be a Q & A at every event. And I’ll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I’ve written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you. 
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Richard Dawkins is back with Taryn Southern to answer your questions, this time in a physical studio in the UK. Taryn asks Richard questions from our audience about evolution, evolutionary biology, and more. Stay tuned for Richard’s insightful answers.

(This is part 2 of Richard's interview with Alister McGrath.)

 I interviewed Alister McGrath for my Channel 4 documentary, Root of All Evil. He is a theologian, a nice enough fellow, but I wouldn't go out of your way to listen to this interview unless it's to remind yourself what an empty, vacuous, non-subject theology is. 
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 I will be on tour of North America, UK & EU talking about my latest book, religion, life on earth and beyond. I will be joined on stage by a range of friends and foes on stage. The events will include a Q&A and a limited meet-and-greet. You can get your tickets here: https://richarddawkinstour.com/ #richarddawkins #richarddawkinstour

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ 

I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you’re ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There’ll be a Q & A at every event. And I’ll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I’ve written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. 

Either way, I look forward to seeing you.

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Richard Dawkins talks about the potential evolutionary explanations of the "Gay Gene," trying to explain the counterintuitive but true nature of natural selection of Homosexuality. 
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a hero, a staunch fighter against the violent intolerance and bossy control freakery of Islamism. She is also a personal friend of whom I am very fond. When she recently announced her conversion to Christianity, I assumed that she must be no more than a political Christian, regarding Christianity as a bulwark against Islam. I have some sympathy with the view that if you must have a religion at all, Christianity is hugely better than the leading alternative. In Hilaire Belloc’s words, “Always keep a-hold of Nurse for fear of finding something worse.”

I agreed to have a public conversation with her in New York, in which I was all prepared to emphasize the distinction between a political Christian and a true believing Christian, who actually thinks Jesus was born of a virgin and rose from the dead. I think the distinction is a really important one. I don’t think a political Christian is a real Christian, any more than the kind of cultural Christian I am myself.

When we met on the stage at the Dissident Dialogues meeting in New York, I was wrongfooted when Ayaan began with a personal statement which seemed to suggest that she really is a believing Christian, not just a political Christian. Well, her form of words was “I choose to believe.” I’m not sure what to make of that. Anyways, see what you think; here is the recording of our New York meeting.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins, Richard engages in a conversation with Chris Williamson various topics, including his recent comment on being a cultural Christian, evolution and genetic adaptation, and, of course, his latest book release, The Genetic Book of the Dead. This episode was filmed at the ACL Moody Theatre in Austin, Texas, on September 7, 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins’ final tour.

I filmed a conversation about death shortly after Dan Dennett recovered from a life-threatening condition. In addition to discussing personal mortality, we talked about bereavement. I thought this time it would be appropriate to listen again to his wisdom—the wisdom of a great thinker and a dear friend. Big books, was an eloquent speaker, had deep knowledge of science as well as philosophy, was a talented musician and sculptor, lived a full life and died in harness. It leaves a huge gap in the world of intellect, Dan, I will miss you so much, so deeply.

The inaugural episode of #ThePoetryOfReality is finally here! Join me & Ricky Gervais, actor, writer, irreverent comedian & poignant tragedian. CFI gave him the 2019 Richard Dawkins Award. Then I had an on-stage conversation with him & Richard Wiseman, psychologist, comedian & conjuror. Lots of laughs, lots to think about. See for yourself.

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In this episode, journalist Andrew Sullivan and Richard Dawkins fearlessly confront society's aversion to directness and the double standards that govern criticism, challenging the breakdown of democratic conversation in America. They take a little dip into Dawkins' upbringing in Kenya and England before exploring the primal instincts of prey, predator, and the arms race, shedding light on nature's intent and the marvels of survival. As they navigate the terrifying yet exhilarating immensity of the universe, they contemplate and debate over life's meaning, Jesus and the role of religion as solace in the face of nothingness. But does moral philosophy really require the supernatural? Does scienctific truth make a man desolate? And what is the truth of human nature and the sex binary? Sullivan and Dawkins tackle a wide array of topics, leaving no stone unturned in their quest for understanding.

Ian McEwan is a British novelist and screenwriter. This is a discussion between Ian McEwan and Richard Dawkins on religion, science, and truth.

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We live in a world that is bordering on Orwellian, where a baying mob of zealots intimidates us against speaking the truth, where culture wars feature censorship and heresy hunting.

Professor Jordan Peterson posed a question to me: Does woke count as a religion?

The answer is yes, and here’s why.

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I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you’re ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There’ll be a Q & A at every event. And I’ll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I’ve written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you.
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In this episode, Richard Dawkins is taken on a tour of a sperm bank, where he tries to understand its workings while sharing interesting evolutionary explanations.
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Richard Dawkins talks to Jill Mytton about religious cults and the psychological issues raised by being brought up in them. -------------------------------------------- 
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In this episode I sit down with Professor Michael Baum to dissect with brutal honesty the intricacies and pitfalls of the alternative medicine industry. We dive deep into the challenges posed by a scientifically illiterate House of Commons and the prevailing misconception that science is too daunting for the average person to comprehend. We confront the disturbing trend of individuals taking pride in their ignorance, a mindset that perpetuates the acceptance of unproven remedies in the fight against cancer.

From herbal remedies to homeopathy and other alternative medicines, Michael Baum and I unravel the allure of these treatments, examining the placebo effect and the reliance on anecdotal evidence that often accompanies them. We emphasize the vital importance of the scientific method, which demands unwavering honesty and has the potential to challenge our deeply entrenched belief systems.
 

Dissident Dialogues is a place for dangerous ideas. Buy your tickets now at https://dissidentdialogues.org/ and be part of the conversation.

Head to http://factormeals.com/reality50 and use code REALITY50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next box.

I had an intriguing conversation with Bishop Richard Holloway, former Head of the Church of Scotland. He is a most intelligent, interesting and pleasant man.

Join us as we explore the human lust to be good to others, and the impulse to give. We navigate the delicate balance between belief and scepticism, with Holloway confessing that he's “between gods” and me reflecting on being, technically, an agnostic.

Throughout our conversation, we critically examine the poetic value of religious myth and its impact on human culture. We confront the age-old question of whether religion offers consoling fiction or genuine comfort in the face of life’s uncertainties.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Andrew Gold, host of the Heretics podcast. This was filmed at Ulster Hall in Belfast, United Kingdom, on the 14th of November 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' Tour.

 

The Origins Project Foundation, in collaboration with Atheists UK, presented a conference in Birmingham, where I had the pleasure of interviewing the founder himself, Lawrence Krauss, distinguished physicist and a dear colleague.

In this conversation, What resonated most strongly during our conversation was our shared belief in the transformative power of science to dispel ignorance and fear. Science is not merely a discipline but a beacon of light, guiding us out of the darkness of ignorance and towards a more enlightened, informed world.

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Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of my heroes, for all the work she has done to expose ignorance and oppression, for her stance on the human right to liberty. I am surprised she aligns herself with Christianity - and I fear she mixes being a Christian up with being a good human being. Here's a heartfelt letter I wrote to her about it. 

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It was my pleasure to speak with American cosmologist and professor of physics Janna Levin, about a range of subjects around religion, morality and improving public scientific literacy. 

How does our society rob children of the right to truth, by indoctrinating them into their beliefs at an early age? We discuss freedom through science, the inspiration of wonder and awe in the cosmos in my books Outgrowing God, The Selfish Gene, Climbing Mount Improbable and Unweaving The Rainbow, morality and altruism, and the love and hate my work receives in equal parts from across the world.

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Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you’re ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There’ll be a Q & A at every event. And I’ll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I’ve written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you. 
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In this episode, Richard Dawkins has a conversation with Dr. Peter Fisher, who is a physician and homeopath. They discuss the efficacy of Homeopath, controversy regarding funding homeopathy, and the scientific (or non scientific) nature of the field.
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In this interview with philosopher Dan Dennett, we discussed his brilliant book I've Been Thinking and the evolution of not just humankind, but of language and culture. We explored questions like: What is the future of human consciousness? And what role do AI technology and deep fakes play in our understanding of truth and reality? 
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I’ve long been wrongly accused of Islamophobia. This episode explains what I’m really phobic about.

To know more about CSICon 2023 visit: https://csiconference.org/

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In this episode of The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins, Richard engages in a conversation with Kmele Foster about evolution, the miracle of the human brain, the meaning provided by religion, and today’s cultural hegemony that stands against truth—even within universities. This episode was filmed at Prudential Hall in Newark, NJ, on September 13th, 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins’ final tour.

This episode features a conversation with my friend, writer, broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth, from his podcast Rosebud. We reminisce over my memories of growing up in Kenya and the UK, going over our journeys with private education, bad teachers, young love, and the first time learning about starfish filled me with wonder and awe over science and the natural world.

In 2008, touring America to promote The God Delusion, I spoke to a large audience at the University of California at Berkeley. It was a nostalgic visit for me, as I had spent two eventful years there as a young man. Today I stand by everything I said in the lecture.

 

There’s a kind of conventional wisdom among broadcasters that an interview has to be adversarial. The interviewer must probe in a critical kind of way. You must have arguments. This was brought home to me some years ago when I had a conversation on stage in London, a very large audience with Steven Pinker, and it went very well. The audience liked it, and the BBC, who weren’t there, got wind of it and decided they’d like to have a reprise of it later in the evening, in the News Night programme. So they asked us whether we would do it, and we agreed. Then the BBC producer rang me up and she said to me, “What’s the nature of your disagreement with Dr. Pinker?” I said, “Well, I don’t think there is a disagreement. I think we agree about most things.” She said, “No disagreement?” The interview was promptly cancelled.

That’s just an illustration, and it came to mind again when I did an interview with Steve Pinker in Boston, at Harvard. It was part of the programme I did for Channel Four in 1998 called The Genius of Charles Darwin. We had a very long conversation lasting about an hour, I suppose, and we agreed about just about everything. But I think it is illuminating. I think it’s one of the best interviews I’ve ever done. It’s two people who pretty much agree about everything we discussed, and it’s as though one person was having a conversation with himself. But it’s somehow better than that. I think that when you have two people who agree with each other in that kind of way, each one raises the game of the other. Let’s see if you agree, listen to this conversation between me and Steve Pinker.

This episode features the eminent scientist, Prof. Martin Rees, as he joins me in traversing the worlds of physics and biology. Together, he and I grapple with the profound complexities of understanding reality, from contemplating multiple dimensions to exploring the implications of scientific insights that inspire and challenge us. Dive into the evolution of humankind to include digital and AI creations, ponder philosophical questions of consciousness and self-awareness, and speculate on the future of machine consciousness.

Unveiling the trailer for a new show called The Poetry of Reality

The world of evolution, nature, and the universe is filled with wonder and beauty. But sometimes, people's beliefs without evidence, known as faith, can take away from the true magnificence of it all. Join Richard Dawkins on a journey to explore science and uncover the true beauty of reality.

Coming soon!

The Poetry of Reality is an amazing podcast where Richard Dawkins shares his life's work and personal thoughts. He explores the wonders of the universe, questions faith, and unravels the mysteries of human evolution.

Don't miss out on these mind-expanding conversations. Subscribe and follow The Poetry of Reality today!

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In this episode of The Poetry Of Reality, we sit in on an engrossing conversation between Richard Dawkins and Peter Singer on stage in Melbourne, Australia.

Peter Singer is a moral philosopher, known for his work in bioethics and being one of the intellectual founders of the modern animal rights movement.

He and Dawkins discuss everything from nature and evolution, to god and ethics, through the lens of their work as prolific authors and discoverers of truth. Tune in to listen to two great thinkers explore rich questions, around the survival of genes and human altruism, the suffering native to nature, reason and its application to morality, the role of design in the universe, and the meaning behind pain and consciousness.

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The savage missiles hurled at Kathleen Stock in the stocks of Sussex University gives the lie to the pretense that her tormentors should be pitied as an oppressed minority who just want to peacefully get on with their life. I’ve long admired her gentle courage in the face of vicious bullying. When we finally met at the Dissident Dialogues Conference in New York this May, I felt an instant affinity. It was a pleasure to conduct the following interview.

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Richard Dawkins is in conversation with the host of Uncomfortable Conversations, Josh Szeps, in this episode of The Poetry Of Reality. Set on a stage in the heart of Brisbane, Australia, this exclusive chat flows through a string of riveting subjects, from the wonders of the natural world, and our relatives in the chain of evolution, to how science is taught in schools, religion's hold on people's lives, and the discernment of truth in the age of misinformation. Sprinkled with great humour, wit and courage, this is a discussion you won't want to miss out on.

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Bertha Vazquez is a former school teacher, the director of education at the Center For Inquiry and the director of TIES (Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science). A long time ally in nurturing reason and critical thinking among children, she is passionate about training teachers across America in teaching evolution and science in ways that work. I was delighted to learn about her work in awakening a spirit of curiosity and inquiry in young students, and how TIES programs like Generation Skeptics and Save Science are changing the nature of school education and scientific learning. 

....... 

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Did you know the bee sees flowers in ultraviolet hues? The fourth part of the Christmas Lectures dives headfirst into the world from the perspective of animals, birds and insects. The idea that they all just exist for us humans is a myth. Are you curious how they actually experience the universe? How - much like the computer virus - they move with purpose and in perfect synchronicity. Indulge your curiosity and discover a whole new poetic perspective of the world.

This episode is the first of a series released in 1991 that pays homage to the scientist Michael Faraday who started the Christmas Lectures, making the wonders of science and the universe accessible to young people. The universe as we know it is 140 million centuries old, and our present century is a tiny spotlight in the ruler of time. We are lucky to be alive. I introduced an auditorium full of inquisitive young minds to this realization and more, on evolution, the purpose of human existence, and the breathtakingly magnificent creatures found in our world. With anecdotes, simple demonstrations, humor and role-play, we awakened our shared wonder about the natural world.

The human eye and the human brain help us process reality. How accurate is our shared perception of reality? Scientific knowledge helps us clear the rubble from the path and see things for what they are. In the last part of Growing Up In The Universe, I take you through virtual reality models in the human mind and in computers. Through them we examine the questions: How do imagination, language and technology help us discern what is real from what is not? And what does the future of the human mind and perception look like? 
 

Richard Dawkins is back with Taryn Southern to answer your questions now with an AI Assistant, this time in a physical studio in the UK. Stay tuned for Richard’s insightful answers, and to see if the AI can compare!

Climbing Mount Improbable is a 1996 popular science book by Richard Dawkins. The book is about probability and how it applies to the theory of evolution. It is designed to debunk claims by creationists about the probability of naturalistic mechanisms like natural selection

Richard Dawkins Confronts Indoctrinating Christian Drama Used to Promote ‘Christian Values.’ The drama targets young teens, showing them depictions of a gruesome hell, purportedly to deter sinning.

The Reverend Michael Bray is a leading advocate of murdering abortion doctors. He also takes biblical literalism to the extreme of advocating the death penalty for adultery and homosexuality. His friend and coconspirator, the Reverend Paul Hill, was executed for murdering an abortion doctor and his bodyguard. Bray strongly defends Hill’s action and thinks he’s now being rewarded in heaven. Bray himself served 46 months of a 10-year jail sentence for conspiracy and possession of illicit explosives. What follows is an audio recording of a long conversation I had with him in a public park in Colorado. He struck me as a deeply confused individual but at the same time sincere, a mind addled and perverted by religious faith, walking evidence of Steven Weinberg’s well-known aphorism, which I quote at the end of this recording: for good people to do evil things, it takes religion.