Difference between revisions of "Richard Dawkins"
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| − | '''Richard Dawkins''' is a British evolutionary biologist and | + | '''Richard Dawkins''' is a British evolutionary biologist and popular science writer. Most known for his forceful argument for [[atheism]] and his dogmatic views on [[science]] and expert rule<ref>www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1997/jun/12/darwinian-fundamentalism/</ref>, he is given plenty of attention from [[corporate media]] and billionaires like [[Bill Gates]]<ref>https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/bill-gates-explains-why-richard-dawkins-is-one-of-the-greats-and-outs-himself-as-a-comic-fan-10264236.html</ref>. |
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| + | He is an emeritus fellow of [[New College, Oxford]], and was Professor for Public Understanding of Science in the University of Oxford from 1995 to 2008. | ||
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| + | ==Opinions== | ||
| + | ===Miracle jabs=== | ||
| + | In August 2021, he mused: | ||
| + | {{QB|Ingenious scientists worked around the clock to find [[Covid jab|vaccines]], with spectacular success. Will their noble efforts to beat the virus be defeated because of a new epidemic – new [[virus]], a [[virus of the mind]], the memetic virus of [[anti-vax|anti-vax propaganda]] spread by gullible fools?<ref>https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/1463069649650737157</ref>}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Democracy=== | ||
| + | In 2016, he thought that [[Brexit]] should never have been decided by a vote: | ||
| + | {{QB|If there are issues on which the populace at large should be trusted to vote, something as complicated and economically sophisticated as [[EU]] membership is definitely not one of them.<ref>https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/richard-dawkins-eu-referendum-brexit-david-cameron-a7059201.html</ref>}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Eugenics for pigs=== | ||
| + | Soon hedging by saying it was only possible, not desirable<ref>https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2020/02/16/dawkins-makes-a-tweet/</ref>, he wrote: | ||
| + | {{QB|It’s one thing to deplore [[eugenics]] on ideological, political, moral grounds. It’s quite another to conclude that it wouldn’t work in practice. Of course it would. It works for [[cows]], [[horses]], [[pigs]], [[dogs]] & roses. Why on earth wouldn’t it work for [[humans]]? [[Facts]] ignore [[ideology]].<ref>https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/1228943686953664512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref>}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Overpoulation=== | ||
| + | Dawkins is a rare case. On the one hand he never mentions Malthus once, in any of his books1. On the other hand, Dawkins is one of the best exponents of the mathematical Principle Of Population explained by Malthus between 1798 and 1830. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Overcoming taboos=== | ||
| + | {{QB|What if [[synthetic meat|human meat is grown]]? Could we overcome our [[taboo]] against [[cannibalism]]? An interesting test case for consequentialist morality versus "yuck reaction" absolutism.<ref>https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/969939225180364805</ref>}} | ||
| + | |||
{{SMWDocs}} | {{SMWDocs}} | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
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Revision as of 11:45, 29 November 2023
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| Born | 26 March 1941 Nairobi, British Kenya | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | UK | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Chafyn Grove School, Oundle School, Balliol College (Oxford) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interests | atheism | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Richard Dawkins is a British evolutionary biologist and popular science writer. Most known for his forceful argument for atheism and his dogmatic views on science and expert rule[1], he is given plenty of attention from corporate media and billionaires like Bill Gates[2].
He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was Professor for Public Understanding of Science in the University of Oxford from 1995 to 2008.
Contents
Opinions
Miracle jabs
In August 2021, he mused:
Ingenious scientists worked around the clock to find vaccines, with spectacular success. Will their noble efforts to beat the virus be defeated because of a new epidemic – new virus, a virus of the mind, the memetic virus of anti-vax propaganda spread by gullible fools?[3]
Democracy
In 2016, he thought that Brexit should never have been decided by a vote:
If there are issues on which the populace at large should be trusted to vote, something as complicated and economically sophisticated as EU membership is definitely not one of them.[4]
Eugenics for pigs
Soon hedging by saying it was only possible, not desirable[5], he wrote:
It’s one thing to deplore eugenics on ideological, political, moral grounds. It’s quite another to conclude that it wouldn’t work in practice. Of course it would. It works for cows, horses, pigs, dogs & roses. Why on earth wouldn’t it work for humans? Facts ignore ideology.[6]
Overpoulation
Dawkins is a rare case. On the one hand he never mentions Malthus once, in any of his books1. On the other hand, Dawkins is one of the best exponents of the mathematical Principle Of Population explained by Malthus between 1798 and 1830.
Overcoming taboos
What if human meat is grown? Could we overcome our taboo against cannibalism? An interesting test case for consequentialist morality versus "yuck reaction" absolutism.[7]
References
- ↑ www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1997/jun/12/darwinian-fundamentalism/
- ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/bill-gates-explains-why-richard-dawkins-is-one-of-the-greats-and-outs-himself-as-a-comic-fan-10264236.html
- ↑ https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/1463069649650737157
- ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/richard-dawkins-eu-referendum-brexit-david-cameron-a7059201.html
- ↑ https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2020/02/16/dawkins-makes-a-tweet/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/1228943686953664512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
- ↑ https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/969939225180364805
