The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins Richard Dawkins

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.

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 f*****g 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.

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 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.
________________________

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

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.
________________________

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

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.
________________________
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