Richard Dawkins - Evolution: What is "Natural"?

New Scientist & Greenpeace Science debates
Publication Date: 21 Mar 2007
Science, technology and our future: the big questions

Publication date: 16th April 2002

Summary
What is 'natural'?

Richard Dawkins pointed out that nature is Darwinian and dominated by the short-term greediness that is required within competitive ecosystems to pass on one's genes. Humans are no different and are dominated by those instincts, but with our complex brain-power we have the ability to rise above these destructive tendencies and be a good steward to the planet and ourselves.

science
evolution
creationism
darwin
God delusion

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• environment
• nature
• evolution
• creationism
• dawkins
• science
• religion

[DjDedan]

@334286 actually he is not condescending to humans, he is saying the fact that we can reason and plan that we are special and should use these abilities to overcome the natural tendencies of short term greed and selfishness for the sake and the betterment of the whole. basically use our powers of foresight to better not only all humans (regardless of beliefs) but the whole world...

[warren52nz]

11 people marked this "dislike" simply because of who's speaking and not because of the content.

[Surtak]

@mdstalla

First of all, even if all those people were devout christians, that changes nothing to alter the fact that the church has always looked to stifle independent thought and oppossed scientific advances on a regular basis. Ever since the days of Copernicus.

Secondly, being born a Catholic does not mean that you are automatically religious. Schrödinger most definately was no Catholic for instance.

[mollymu1]

God controls evolution so you don't need to try to use it anymore . There aren't any atheist and none of you are fooling anyone . Nobody is that stupid . Just a bunch of kids trying to be elite .

[MadMAn12gauge]

@334286 what the fuck? umm you cant be condecending toward something that doesnt exist,he is just being that way toward mythology because there are actually still people around (for w/e reason) that cant tell fantasy from reality and are stuck in their little dungeons and dragons childish roleplaying nonsense

[jjoneil73]

You creationists are so deluded and fortunately that which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence!!

[mdstalla]

@edwardschlosser1 Yes, because you know how much the Catholic Church rejects concepts like dinosaurs and genetics. It makes it hard getting an education at one of our top Jesuit Universities; or a job at one of our 1,500 top research hospitals worldwide. Maybe these Catholics should return their Nobel Prizes in Science: Erwin Schrodinger, Guglielmo Marconi, Alexis Carrel, John Eccles, Joseph Murray, François Mauriac, Sigrid Undset, Kim Dae-Jung, Adolfo Perez Esquivel…

[edwardschlosser1]

Those who do not have an education in the sciences will always seek answers through superstsion. Superstition requires far less thinking.

[edwardschlosser1]

@mdstalla Wow, I didn't know the Catholic church discovered genetics and palentology 1200 years ago. Some one needs to contact the Nobel Prize people. Watson and Crick need to give back their Nobel prizes.

[mdstalla]

Dawkins/Hichens spent their entire lives dropping arguments that were presented to; and addressed by the Catholic Church 12H years ago. My church needs to do a much, MUCH better job in letting these hacks know that their ingenious concepts have already been noted and debunked. Historically, Dawkins/Hichens pts. aren’t even the challenging ones! It is, however, always entertaining to hear someone argue their own insignificance, while using the significance of their intellect to persuade.