Richard Dawkins

Join legendary evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, renowned for his influential work "The Selfish Gene," and Alex O’Connor, a philosophy YouTuber with a knack for deep discussions, as they dissect the impact of memes and archetypes on culture. They explore the dynamic tension between scientific truth and biblical narratives, particularly through the lens of stories like Cain and Abel. Delve into the therapeutic dimensions of confronting fears through ancient tales, and how these narratives evolve, echoing both psychological growth and cultural evolution.

Dr. Richard Dawkins, a renowned evolutionary biologist and passionate advocate for science, delves into fascinating topics that bridge science and philosophy. He discusses the role of psychedelics in shaping consciousness and the importance of symbolism in understanding human perception. The conversation critiques postmodernism, examining its effects on truth and language. Dawkins and his host explore the relationship between sexual selection and human evolution, probing deeper into how individual preferences can influence societal ideals.

In an engaging conversation, Richard Dawkins, a renowned evolutionary biologist and author, shares his insights during his final live tour. He discusses the rise of cultural Christianity and its impact on modern belief systems. Dawkins explains his provocative statement about race being a spectrum while emphasizing the binary nature of sex. The talk also delves into human ancestry, the complexities of consciousness, and the relationship between evolution and social identity, offering thought-provoking perspectives on these intricate topics.

Renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, author of "The Selfish Gene" and "The God Delusion," discusses the captivating relationship between evolution and memes. He shares insights on the likelihood of extraterrestrial intelligence and how mathematical principles might connect to alien life. Dawkins further examines how culture and consciousness evolve, critiquing outdated moral frameworks in the context of modern belief systems. The conversation also reflects on life, death, and the pursuit of meaning, urging listeners to appreciate the complexity of existence.

Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett discuss the rise and fall of New Atheism, questioning its direction and impact. They explore the aggressive nature of the movement and its use of mockery and ridicule. The podcast also highlights the negative effects of this approach, leading to a resurgence in belief in God and a reconsideration of Christianity by secular thinkers. The flaws in the New Atheist argument and the disappointment with Richard Dawkins are also discussed.

Evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins discusses Christianity, the benefits of religion, the success of Darwin's theory, analyzing views on religion and free speech, the privileged status of Christian theology, the nature of debates, and arguments on God's existence.

On Nov 15th and 16th, 2022, The Origins Project Foundation hosted their first public events in North America at the beautiful Orpheum Theater in Phoenix, AZ (we had hosted an event in Iceland in September during our Greenland-Iceland Travel Adventure). There was no better way to begin this new series than with a dialogue onstage with Richard Dawkins, and that was the substance of our first night’s event. As all those who have followed us will know, Richard and I have done many dialogues together, onstage and online, and so it was important that this dialogue be new and different. Richard had just published a new book entitled “Books do Furnish a Life”, which is a compilation of essays he had written about other scientists and writers, and also transcripts of dialogues he had had with numerous people, including me. I decided this new book would provide a wonderful opportunity to jump off in new directions, and it turned out to be just that. The response from the audience and from those who had seen many of our previous dialogues was very positive, and we came off stage feeling like it was one of the best public conversations we have had. I hope those of you who watch it, or listen to it, here will agree. Following our 90 minute dialogue onstage we asked for questions from the audience, and after an intermission, we answered many of these. This Q&A will be offered as an exclusive post for Critical Mass paid subscribers, to thank you for your support of our efforts. It will remain behind the Critical Mass paywall for 1 month, and then will be released to the general public. I hope all of you enjoy this conversation, and Richard’s remarkable enthusiasm about science and writing, and his insights about the world. In a future post, we will release the video record of the second night’s conversation, a panel discussion with leading physicists about the current state of cosmology. Finally, later this month we will open our newest travel adventure, a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Island, for booking for the general public. Critical Mass subscribers will have an advance opportunity to book one of the 36 berths on this voyage. Stay tuned.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Richard Dawkins needs no introduction. He is one of the world’s most well known scientists and science writers. He is also a good friend and colleague. As many of you may know, Richard and I have toured much of the world together on stage, often in dialogues about our disciplines, our views of the world, and of course the conflict between science and religion. When we decided to create The Origins Podcast, it was natural to consider early on having a dialogue between Richard and me. One fateful day, our crew headed to Oxford. As we began our journey, our car was broken into and much equipment stolen. Then we had a small car accident later. We finally got to Richard’s late in the day, in time to begin a dialogue, but not long enough to complete it. I wanted to hold on to that snippet for the right time, so that Richard and I could continue our conversation by touching something new, something we had not talked about before onstage. The release of two new books over the past year provided just such an opportunity. Richard and I were able to discuss Flights of Fancy, his latest book, about flight in the animal kingdom and beyond. It is a beautiful book to read and look at, with delightful illustrations by Jana Lenzova. I had assumed I knew everything that was in it, as Richard and I had talked about the physics of flying early on when he was writing it. But I was wrong. It is a wonderful compendium of fascinating stories about how nature, and evolution, conspired to harness physics to escape, at least temporarily, they tyranny of gravity. We used the book as a launching point to discuss science more generally. It was an enjoyable tour from The Selfish Gene to his, and my, most recent thinking about nature. I hope you enjoy it. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Daniel Dennett, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University, joins Richard Dawkins, a renowned biologist and author, for a thrilling conversation. They dive into the evolution of memes and its relevance in today's digital landscape. The pair humorously unpack misunderstandings in biology while tackling the complexities of language evolution. They also address the perilous implications of AI technologies and deepfakes, encouraging a critical examination of our intuition and the intersection of science and philosophy.

Guest: Richard Dawkins, Prominent atheist author and biologist. The podcast explores the revival of belief in God after the rise of New Atheism. It discusses the conflict between atheism and morality, the resurgence of Christian philosophy, and the impact of atheist thinkers. It also highlights personal journeys of faith, the question of ethics in atheism, and the influence of New Atheism on belief in God.