Quotes

“Intelligent life on a planet comes of age when it first works out the reason for its own existence.” Richard Dawkins

“Of course in science there are things that are open to doubt and things need to be discussed. But among the things that science does know, evolution is about as certain as anything we know.” Richard Dawkins

“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

“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

“I am very comfortable with the idea that we can override biology with free will.” Richard Dawkins

“I mean I think that when you've got a big brain, when you find yourself planted in a world with a brain big enough to understand quite a lot of what you see around you, but not everything, you naturally fall to thinking about the deep mysteries. Where do we come from? Where does the world come from? Where does the universe come from?” Richard Dawkins

“I think looking back to my own childhood, the fact that so many of the stories I read allowed the possibility of frogs turning into princes, whether that has a sort of insidious affect on rationality, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's something for research.” Richard Dawkins

“Science coverage could be improved by the recognition that science is timeless, and therefore science stories should not need to be pegged to an item in the news.” Richard Dawkins

“Scientists disagree among themselves but they never fight over their disagreements. They argue about evidence or go out and seek new evidence. Much the same is true of philosophers, historians and literary critics.” Richard Dawkins

“Segregation has no place in the education system.” Richard Dawkins

“Sometimes I think it's possible to mistake desire for clarity and talking in a no-nonsense way for aggression.” Richard Dawkins

“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

“At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.” Richard Dawkins

“I'm a cultural Christian in the same way many of my friends call themselves cultural Jews or cultural Muslims.” Richard Dawkins

“I'm not one of those who wants to purge our society of our Christian history.” Richard Dawkins

“It would be intolerant if I advocated the banning of religion, but of course I never have.” Richard Dawkins

“It's very likely that most mammals have consciousness, and probably birds, too.” Richard Dawkins

“Metaphors are fine if they aid understanding, but sometimes they get in the way.” Richard Dawkins

“My decision to be a scientist was a bit of a drift really, more or less by default.” Richard Dawkins

“My interest in biology was pretty much always on the philosophical side.” Richard Dawkins

“Physicists are working on the Big Bang, and one day they may or may not solve it.” Richard Dawkins

“Something pretty mysterious had to give rise to the origin of the universe.” Richard Dawkins

“Evolution never looks to the future.” Richard Dawkins

“I didn't have a very starry school career, I was medium to above average, nothing special.” Richard Dawkins

“I don't feel depressed. I feel elated.” Richard Dawkins

“I don't know what to think about magic and fairy tales.” Richard Dawkins

“I have often said that I am a passionate Darwinian when it comes to explaining why we exist.” Richard Dawkins

“I love words.” Richard Dawkins

“I was confirmed at my prep school at the age of 13.” Richard Dawkins

“It's an important point to realize that the genetic programming of our lives is not fully deterministic. It is statistical - it is in any animal merely statistical - not deterministic.” Richard Dawkins