The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins

The podcast features Alister McGrath, a theologian, discussing theology's role in coping with suffering and disasters, God's intervention in human suffering, historical contexts of atheism and religion, decline of atheism and rise of spiritual interest, spiritual atheism, critiques of religion, and addressing anger towards faith.

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.-------------- 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/the.poetry.of.reality/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkinsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooksReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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______________________ 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/the.poetry.of.reality/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

Journalist Andrew Sullivan and biologist Richard Dawkins discuss societal aversion to directness and breakdown of democratic conversation, primal instincts in nature, the universe's immensity, the role of religion in moral philosophy, the truth of human nature, and the sex binary. They tackle a wide array of topics in their quest for understanding.

Renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins challenges psychic Craig Hamilton Parker on communicating with the dead, showcasing skepticism vs. belief, reason vs. deception, and science vs. mysticism. The conversation explores the complexities of mediumship, the role of science in investigating psychic phenomena, and the challenges of proving paranormal claims.

A bishop and a scientist discuss the human impulse to be good, the delicate balance between belief and scepticism, the poetic value of religious myth, the consoling fiction or genuine comfort of religion, philosophical and scientific inquiries about consciousness and the universe, evolutionary influence on emotions and altruistic behavior, nuanced perceptions of religion, seeking comfort from religion while pursuing truth in science, human brain's search for meaning in the universe, religious classification and influence, implications of Pascal's Wager and belief in God.