Richard Dawkins: One Fact to Refute Creationism

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/10/07/Richard_Daw...

Biologist Richard Dawkins identifies what he views is the single most compelling fact to refute Creationism -- but states that the real problem lies in convincing Creationists to listen to the evidence. "What they do is simply stick their fingers in their ears and say 'La la la,'" says Dawkins. "You cannot argue with a mind like that."

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Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion created a storm of controversy over the question of God's existence. Now, in The Greatest Show on Earth, Dawkins presents a stunning counterattack against advocates of "Intelligent Design" that explains the evidence for evolution while keeping an eye trained on the absurdities of the creationist argument.

More than an argument of his own, it's a thrilling tour into our distant past and into the interstices of life on earth. Taking us through the case for evolution step-by-step, Dawkins looks at DNA, selective breeding, anatomical similarities, molecular family trees, geography, time, fossils, vestiges and imperfections, human evolution, and the formula for a strong scientific theory.

Dawkins' trademark wit and ferocity is joined by an infectious passion for the beauty and strangeness of the natural world, proving along the way that the mechanisms of the natural world are more miraculous -- a "greater show" -- than any creation story generated by any religion on earth. - Berkeley Arts and Letters

Richard Dawkins is a world-renowned evolutionary biologist and author. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and, until recently, held the Charles Simonyi Chair of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. His first book, The Selfish Gene, was an instant international bestseller, and has become an established classic work of modern evolutionary biology.

He is also the author of The Blind Watchmaker, River Out of Eden, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, A Devil's Chaplain, The Ancestor's Tale The God Delusion, and most recently, The Greatsest Show on Earth.

Professor Dawkins's awards have included the Silver Medal of the Zoological Society of London (1989), the Royal Society's Michael Faraday Award (1990), the Nakayama Prize for Achievement in Human Science (1990), The International Cosmos Prize (1997) and the Kistler Prize (2001).

He has Honorary Doctorates in both literature and science, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society.

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[Zhou Zhensheng]

Well, I specialise in politics and international relations and I would very much like to avoid war as it could bring down everything we have worked to build.

I agree with your logistical analysis. And yes I was talking about supplying armies not economies. Which may be the source of our confusion. Sorry about that.

I don't think it has become inevitable yet, but I think unless a solution is arrived at soon it may become inevitable in the near future. Unfortunately nobody wants to compromise.

[sonofason63]

Well, it was only a few comments ago when you said, "Yep - I have an eyewitness that saw me brush my teeth last Wednesday"

Are you a drug user because your memory is terrible.

[sonofason63]

Actually, I don't mind being a little gullible. I have no idea if you are lying. I don't care if you are lying. What, do you think that your lies could be of any significance to my life. I can believe you or disbelieve you, and nothing changes.

[GreedyCapybara7]

Okay, I thought you meant through transport of supplies not troops.

I'm not talking about avoiding war (given how you describe the situation in China it may very well be inevitable) my specialty isn't in politics but in economics and logistics.

I was referring to the problems associated with getting supplies via North Korea in a time of war. It's easier to get it through Russia because no more infrastructure investment would be required, it's safer and cheaper due to the previous investment.

[GentxScholar]

Actually you're the one speaking as if cells are nothing. Their ability over time in every species was to change & adapt when it was necessary, observing our anatomy is a driving factor in evolution. Once again you're assuming that organisms are perfect by merit of needing a creator. You're also assuming that your creator is the correct one. How about Brahma, Viracocha, Unkulunkulu, Ptah?

You're just as much a denier as I am, you just choose to believe in one more God

[Zhou Zhensheng]

I meant that if there was war the PLA would be safe to advance by road through North Korea due to the PLAF being so strong in Manchuria.

Well, China might have no choice. The Chinese people are very anti-Japanese and view war with Japan as inevitable (in general) so eventually if japan doe snot back down China may be forced, by the public, to act. In Beijing a few years ago there was a few million people on the streets demanding war. If tens of millions demanded war we'd have no choice.

[GreedyCapybara7]

Transporting mineral material by air is a bad idea. It's too heavy and the fuel and infrastructure costs would be too high. China's actually better off building a gigantic railway network instead of transporting material by air. Better yet just use Russia it's easier, safer and cheaper.

Keep in mind China would want to avoid conflict too. Making risky decisions like this could be enough to lose the support of allied nations or worse. Especially if there are other options available.

[Zhou Zhensheng]

Indeed. Circumstance is everything in war.

I imagine that any conflict would be very localised. Unless some idiot decided to expand it by bombing somebodies' mainland. War is so unpredictable though. Anything could happen.

[Zhou Zhensheng]

Well, the Manchurian section of the PLA is mainly mobolised around Dandong. It is there for that reason. North Korea's railways are too old to transport a modern army. The PLAF would be able to establish control over the North Korean sky before any opposition could mass to attack the North Korean skies.

I agree. China would try to avoid conflict with those countries.

True I suppose. I do think that even the USA would not help in this, too dangerous for the USA itself. Look at Georgia in 2008.