A conversation with Richard Dawkins (3/12)

Richard Dawkins and Paula Kirby sit down for a 40 minute conversation at Eden Court Theater. There, they talk about evolution, religion and the importance of science. This is followed by a question and answer session with the audience.

Credit:
UHI Millenium Institute
April 2 2008
http://www.library.uhi.ac.uk/dawkins/

For other material like this, please visit Richarddawkins.net:
http://www.richarddawkins.net/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Richard
• Dawkins
• Paula
• Kirby
• Atheism
• Evolution
• Religion
• Christianity
• Islam
• God
• Delusion
• Atheist
• Science

[mattyrm]

Richard Dawkins is a legend. He deserves all of the credit he gets for his work.

[GeorgesBarras]

Evolution is elegant, beautiful despite death being a key dynamic.

[8bobthebuilder]

Dawkins is articulate and persuasive.

[geordietoddy]

@pillsareyummy Yeah, I suppose there are the odd few musicians that make a decent bit of cash, but my point was that the era of the 'Rock Star lifestyle' was temporary, and musicians shouldn't expect riches, they should expect fans.

[pillsareyummy]

@g.. Actually, you can get quite wealthy being a muscian, and have talent as well. Look at Pat metheny, Diana Krall, or even prog metal bands like Dream Theater. It's not that you can't make money playing music,it's just that those that play music and have artistic integrity have to 'pay their dues' first.However,with that being said,our present social milieu does make it quite difficult to be a true artist and make a living at the same time. Thank the music biz and the public for that.

[geordietoddy]

@geordietoddy "real musicians never really have"

that's not to say you can't be a celebrity and a musician, but it's not the music making your money - that was my point :)

[geordietoddy]

@crazykb 50 cent isn't paid to make music, he's paid to be a brand. Same with X Factor or American Idol. It's the celebration of celebrity, under the guise of Art.

None of the great composers made a fortune, 'real' musicians never really have - it's all a myth perpetuated by 20th century media - the image of the Rock Star. Making music won't make you rich - being a celebrity will, it's just that to be a celebrity, you used to need a talent, and nowadays you just need a stupid name and a vest.

[geordietoddy]

@BirdFantastic I think a lot of Christians miss the point about their duty to evangelise. The idea is to inform people about Jesus, then to respect their free will - whatever the outcome. So I don't really mind them saying "have you heard the wondrous story of Jesus?", because I can just answer "yes I have, please go away now", it's the ones that think it's their duty to CONVERT your belief to theirs - they're the ones I want to punch.

[geordietoddy]

@luckynum1107 Or better still, no impants, just the ability to hear/decode radio waves with our evolved organs...

[geordietoddy]

@d4m4s74 We do still evolve. That's why the odd person is born without canine teeth (for chewing raw meats) and without their little toes (for clinging on to branches). (you only need 4 toes on each foot to assist balance, the little pinky is for climbing.

[geordietoddy]

@awesomeskier12345 Well, you say that there could be no changes if we were immortal bacteria, but we don't know that. I mean sure, It didn't play out that way - that's not to say it COULDN'T. Who knows what nature's actually capable of.

Just being pedantic of course. :)

[awesomeskier12345]

@geordietoddy i sure wish we were immortal, but without death there can be no change in an overall race, thus forth, we would be bacteria. better to be a dying human, than an immortal bacteria.