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The Poetry of Reality is hosted by world renowned truth-teller, evolutionary biologist and best-selling author, Professor Richard Dawkins. He has been celebrated globally for his honest critique of religion and tradition and his push for critical thinking. His books include The Ancestor’s Tale, The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, A Devil’s Chaplain, The God Delusion, The Greatest Show on Earth, The Magic of Reality, his two-part autobiogr ...
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Is Genetic Inheritance Like Mixing Red and Blue to Get Purple? What Is Natural Selection, and How Does It Create Diverse Life? In this lecture, Richard Dawkins discusses natural selection, Darwinism, and more.By The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins | Members Exclusive
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In this episode, Richard Dawkins talks to Adrian Hawkes about science, education, Christianity, and more. ---------------------- Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years ol…
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In this episode, Richard Dawkins has a conversation with Dr. Peter Fisher, who is a physician and homeopath. They discuss the efficacy of Homeopath, controversy regarding funding homeopathy, and the scientific (or non scientific) nature of the field.By The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins | Members Exclusive
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Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you’re ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anti…
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Richard Dawkins is back with Taryn Southern to answer your questions, this time in a physical studio in the UK. Taryn asks Richard questions from our audience about evolution, evolutionary biology, and more. Stay tuned for Richard’s insightful answers.By The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins | Members Exclusive
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I first encountered Lawrence Krauss sometime in the early 2000s at a conference. I had just given my lecture and was answering questions when a rather small man with a loud voice and a highly articulate manner stood up and began berating me in what I initially thought was an aggressive manner. It turned out he wasn’t being aggressive; rather, his c…
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The Reverend Michael Bray is a leading advocate of murdering abortion doctors. He also takes biblical literalism to the extreme of advocating the death penalty for adultery and homosexuality. His friend and coconspirator, the Reverend Paul Hill, was executed for murdering an abortion doctor and his bodyguard. Bray strongly defends Hill’s action and…
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There’s a kind of conventional wisdom among broadcasters that an interview has to be adversarial. The interviewer must probe in a critical kind of way. You must have arguments. This was brought home to me some years ago when I had a conversation on stage in London, a very large audience with Steven Pinker, and it went very well. The audience liked …
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The savage missiles hurled at Kathleen Stock in the stocks of Sussex University gives the lie to the pretense that her tormentors should be pitied as an oppressed minority who just want to peacefully get on with their life. I’ve long admired her gentle courage in the face of vicious bullying. When we finally met at the Dissident Dialogues Conferenc…
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Derren Brown is one of our leading conjurers, specializing in mentalism, the illusion of reading people’s minds. I interviewed him for my Channel 4 TV documentary, Enemies of Reason. We talked about cold reading and how the technique is used by frauds who pretend to communicate with the dead, as well as by honest conjurers. Derren himself is an hon…
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Satish Kumar was one of those I interviewed for my Channel 4 documentary, ‘Enemies of Reason.’ He began by telling a nice story about Bertrand Russell, whom he met as a young man and who supported him. We moved on to holism, which seemed harmless enough, but as the interview wore on, he became more and more mystical, culminating in the treeness of …
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I have long wanted to meet John McWhorter. He’s an extremely well-known public intellectual and opinion leader who, in my opinion, always talks sense. I have this rather eccentric idea that before becoming a public intellectual, you need to earn your credentials by having something important and interesting to be intellectual about, and John McWhor…
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a hero, a staunch fighter against the violent intolerance and bossy control freakery of Islamism. She is also a personal friend of whom I am very fond. When she recently announced her conversion to Christianity, I assumed that she must be no more than a political Christian, regarding Christianity as a bulwark against Islam. I hav…
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(This is part 2 of Richard's interview with Alister McGrath.) I interviewed Alister McGrath for my Channel 4 documentary, Root of All Evil. He is a theologian, a nice enough fellow, but I wouldn't go out of your way to listen to this interview unless it's to remind yourself what an empty, vacuous, non-subject theology is.…
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I interviewed Alister McGrath for my Channel 4 documentary, Root of All Evil. He is a theologian, a nice enough fellow, but I wouldn't go out of your way to listen to this interview unless it's to remind yourself what an empty, vacuous, non-subject theology is. -------------- Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry o…
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In 2008, touring America to promote The God Delusion, I spoke to a large audience at the University of California at Berkeley. It was a nostalgic visit for me, as I had spent two eventful years there as a young man. Today I stand by everything I said in the lecture.By The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins | Members Exclusive
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Ever wondered why some males in the animal kingdom seem to have all the luck, while others struggle to find a mate? In this episode we explore Ronald Fisher’s groundbreaking principles and dive deep into the secrets of nature’s most intriguing mating strategies. Have you ever pondered the hidden costs of maintaining a balanced sex ratio? Or marvell…
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I filmed a conversation about death shortly after Dan Dennett recovered from a life-threatening condition. In addition to discussing personal mortality, we talked about bereavement. I thought this time it would be appropriate to listen again to his wisdom—the wisdom of a great thinker and a dear friend. Big books, was an eloquent speaker, had deep …
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This episode features the eminent scientist, Prof. Martin Rees, as he joins me in traversing the worlds of physics and biology. Together, he and I grapple with the profound complexities of understanding reality, from contemplating multiple dimensions to exploring the implications of scientific insights that inspire and challenge us. Dive into the e…
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Join Richard for another thought-provoking Q&A session with Taryn Southern on a wide range of topics, from the ethics of selective breeding and eugenics to western liberal sympathy toward Islam and wokeism. You asked Richard what he thinks about trans people, genes and sexual orientation, mindfulness and AI - he answers it all with no mincing of wo…
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In this episode journalist Andrew Sullivan and Richard Dawkins fearlessly confront society's aversion to directness and the double standards that govern criticism, challenging the breakdown of democratic conversation in America. They take a little dip into Dawkins' upbringing in Kenya and England before exploring the primal instincts of prey, preda…
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Richard Dawkins is coming for the world's psychics, telepaths and spiritualist practitioners in this episode, with his relentless curiosity and pursuit for revealing the truth against all odds. Richard fearlessly confronts psychic Craig Hamilton Parker in a quest to unravel the mysteries of spiritualist practices. He rigorously channels his dedicat…
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I had an intriguing conversation with Bishop Richard Holloway, former Head of the Church of Scotland. He is a most intelligent, interesting and pleasant man. Join us as we explore the human lust to be good to others, and the impulse to give. We navigate the delicate balance between belief and scepticism, with Holloway confessing that he's “between …
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In this episode I sit down with Professor Michael Baum to dissect with brutal honesty the intricacies and pitfalls of the alternative medicine industry. We dive deep into the challenges posed by a scientifically illiterate House of Commons and the prevailing misconception that science is too daunting for the average person to comprehend. We confron…
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Deepak Chopra is a medical doctor with mystical leanings, who has built a highly successful second career as a purveyor of alternative remedies, and deepities that I would say – and here, I suppose I show my bias – impress those who think that if they can’t understand something it must be profoundly significant. As part of my Channel Four documenta…
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This episode features a conversation with my friend, writer, broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth, from his podcast Rosebud. We reminisce over my memories of growing up in Kenya and the UK, going over our journeys with private education, bad teachers, young love, and the first time learning about starfish filled me with wonder and awe over sci…
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It was my pleasure to speak with American cosmologist and professor of physics Janna Levin, about a range of subjects around religion, morality and improving public scientific literacy. How does our society rob children of the right to truth, by indoctrinating them into their beliefs at an early age? We discuss freedom through science, the inspirat…
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Bill Nye The Science Guy is a cultural icon, and it was my honour to award him the Richard Dawkins 2023 award at CSICON for his exemplary work in making scientific knowledge more accessible. We spoke about everything from life in outer space, to climate change, to improving governance and the quality of life on earth - and how creating a scientific…
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In this interview with philosopher Dan Dennett, we discussed his brilliant book I've Been Thinking and the evolution of not just humankind, but of language and culture. We explored questions like: What is the future of human consciousness? And what role do AI technology and deep fakes play in our understanding of truth and reality?…
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I led a classroom of London high schoolers for a Channel 4 documentary, on the subject of Charles Darwin and evolution. It inspired questions from curious young minds that I then engaged with - about the nature of religious belief, about time and space, and about the truth of the origin of life.By Richard Dawkins
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of my heroes, for all the work she has done to expose ignorance and oppression, for her stance on the human right to liberty. I am surprised she aligns herself with Christianity - and I fear she mixes being a Christian up with being a good human being. Here's a heartfelt letter I wrote to her about it.…
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This uncut conversation with Father George Coyne of the Catholic Church did not make its way onto the original show on Channel 4 years ago, and I'm glad to be able to give it the attention it deserves today. A devout Catholic and a lover of science, George Coyne provides a fascinating take on traditions of faith, the danger of religious literalism,…
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Why won’t ChatGPT dispute the existence of God? What is the evolutionary purpose of wonder and awe in the face of nature? Can a community exist independent of religion? And can we expand the human lifespan? Find out the answers to these and more, as I take on all your questions.By The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins | Members Exclusive
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The human eye and the human brain help us process reality. How accurate is our shared perception of reality? Scientific knowledge helps us clear the rubble from the path and see things for what they are. In the last part of Growing Up In The Universe, I take you through virtual reality models in the human mind and in computers. Through them we exam…
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Did you know the bee sees flowers in ultraviolet hues? The fourth part of the Christmas Lectures dives headfirst into the world from the perspective of animals, birds and insects. The idea that they all just exist for us humans is a myth. Are you curious how they actually experience the universe? How - much like the computer virus - they move with …
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You cannot make complex, efficient working objects, like the human eye or the wings of an eagle, in a single step. It would be like getting from the bottom of a mountain to the top in a single leap - highly improbable. The third part of the Christmas Lectures demonstrates this fact, and illustrates how evolution from simplicity to complexity takes …
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Michael Shermer is an American science writer, historian of science, and executive director of The Skeptics Society. He and I spoke about God, reason, science and the future, in a riveting discussion on a stage in Berlin, Germany in 2018. We explored the faulty link between moral behavior and religion, tracked the history of belief, and with some g…
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The second episode of the Christmas Lectures series produced by The Royal Institution in 1991, featured my distinction between designed and “designoid” objects.Dogs and doves were brought into the studio and computer programs were used by my young audience members, to demonstrate the impact of natural and artificial selection over generations. An h…
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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…
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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 fucking face," and when obvious satire is characterized as bigotry, you have to wonder whether debate will be shackle…
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I interviewed the Nobel laureate and theoretical physicist Steven Weinberg to understand physics as the bedrock of science, its efforts to explain the world and answer questions about the universe. What, if anything, came before the Big Bang and before the period of Inflation? How real are string theory and the multiverse? Does anyone really unders…
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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…
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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 p…
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We’re back with another edition of Q&A where, once again, Taryn Southern asks me all the pressing questions that you have sent in.Who in human history would I want resurrected from the dead? Is conflict an inevitable constant in humanity’s evolution? Will AI obey the laws of evolution? Is it likely that aliens look like us? Tune in to hear my answe…
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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.By The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins | Members Exclusive
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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 ver…
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In February of this year, I toured Australia and New Zealand, being interviewed on stage by a different interviewer in each of six cities. One memorable stop was Perth, where I was interviewed by Tom Nash. I was touched that he began by asking me about my relationship with my beloved mentor, John Michael Cullen before John moved from Oxford to Aust…
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I've long been wrongly accused of Islamophobia. This episode explains what I’m really phobic about. I then go beyond the abstract to the appalling treatment of Rana Ahmad, a brave young woman from Saudi Arabia. A student of physics, she became an atheist and had to flee from her family. She found refuge in Germany and published a book, Women Aren’t…
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