Richard Dawkins on BBC Radio Ulster (1 of 3)

This is a recording of Richard Dawkins talking to William Crawley on the BBC Northern Ireland (Radio Ulster) programme Talk Back on the 5th August 2008. Part 1 of 3

Category:

Education

Tags:

• richard
• dawkins
• william
• crawley
• evolution
• darwin
• bbc
• ulster
• northern
• ireland
• radio

[RebelVoDKa]

40% don't believe in evolution????

Really???

Fuckin' 'ell!

[stoprainingonme]

That's disheartening. I'm in New Zealand and I think we're at about 80%. I'm unpleasantly surprised to find UK stats so discouraging. I believe Scandinavian countries and France are leading the way.

[pillsareyummy]

@benthemiester I see that you're a guitar player? Well, there is some common ground at least...

[pillsareyummy]

@benthemiester How does Dawkins lack a 'content of character'? That's an ad hominem statement, and it's baseless. Dawkins is only hated because of his Atheist views. As for the evidence which you ask for, well, I'm not going to debate this. Because, anybody who has studied biology, either as a degree, or something that is used in their field, knows that Darwin was the first to write these theories down in a compressive frame work. And he's been paying the price for it ever since. Good bye...

[benthemiester]

@pillsareyummy Its not that the the subject is not worth discussing, it has more to do with the old saying...... "Dont let your mouth write a check your backside cant cash"

[benthemiester]

@pillsareyummy  I have no problem with the way science works or that we stand on shoulders of giants. My point was that he was not the originator of the construct of natural selection as he is often credited with. You have provided no evidence that Blyth supported or was happy with Darwin using his idea. Yes it is true I have little respect for Dawkins, but it has nothing to do with his world view, but his content of character, (or should I say, lack of) which is an entirely different subject.

[pillsareyummy]

@en... Darwin was the first to publish these ideas (expanding on the ideas of others, like Blyth) in a comprehensive framework in his book O.o.S. To state otherwise is to disagree with ALL historical accounts after that book was published. Darwin built his theory off of the work of others, and his own ideas. That's how science works, it's a gradual process which takes many people. Anyway, this topic isn't worth discussing, you sound like another 'Dawkins Basher', because of his 'loud atheism'.

[benthemiester]

@pillsareyummy I never said that they didn't know or correspond with each other, and in fact, Darwin does mention Blythe in OOS but never credits him for the concept of natural selection. There is no evidence I know of that Blythe was a big fan of his work or that he was happy that Darwin used his ideas. If you can cite evidence please do. I'm not going to generalize a whole group or accuse you of lying without ..........

[benthemiester]

@pillsareyummy cont....hearing the entire argument as you have done to me.

In a 1959 paper, Loren Eiseley claimed that "the leading tenets of Darwin's work the struggle for existence, variation, natural selection and sexual selection – are all fully expressed in Blyth's paper of 1835"

In fact many of the same phrasing appears in Darwin's work as was in Blythes. Some have said that Darwin's note books redeem him, but this is based on personal opinions of Darwin's proponents, others disagree.

[pillsareyummy]

@benthemiester Darwin didn't 'steal' anybodies ideas. He corresponded with Edward Blyth (who was a fan of Darwin, and who was happy that he was using some of his ideas). Darwin is credited with the theory not because Dawkins says so, but because that's the consensus view from around the world (even Christan universities). Darwin was the first to publish this work in any compressive manner (the Origins of Species). Can't you Christans ever be truthful?

[benthemiester]

Natural selection was not Darwins idea. He stole the idea from a Christian named Edward Blyth and then made extrapolations that he latter used to form whats now known as the Neo Darwinian synthesis. I wish Dawkins could have at least had a minor in history and philosophy, because he is bankrupt on both subjects.