Richard Dawkins is an English evolutionary biologist and author who was born in 1941. He is known for his books The Selfish Gene (1976) and The Extended Phenotype (1982). Dawkins is also know for introducing the term “meme”, which is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture.
This is a collection of quotes by Richard Dawkins.
Photo by David Shankbone [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Showing results 1 to 30 of 63
'What is the purpose of the universe?' is a silly question.
Richard DawkinsA delusion is something that people believe in despite a total lack of evidence.
Richard DawkinsAlthough atheism might have been logically tenable before Darwin, Darwin made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist.
Richard DawkinsAlthough many of us fear death, I think there is something illogical about it.
Richard DawkinsBiology is the study of complicated things that have the appearance of having been designed with a purpose.
Richard DawkinsBlasphemy is a victimless crime.
Richard DawkinsBy all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.
Richard DawkinsComplex, statistically improbable things are by their nature more difficult to explain than simple, statistically probable things.
Richard DawkinsDemocracy is no way to establish a truth.
Richard DawkinsDo not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.
Richard DawkinsDon't kid yourself that you're going to live again after you're dead; you're not. Make the most of the one life you've got. Live it to the full.
Richard DawkinsEven mild and moderate religion helps to provide the climate of faith in which extremism naturally flourishes.
Richard DawkinsEvolution is now universally accepted as a fact by thinking people
Richard DawkinsEvolution never looks to the future.
Richard DawkinsFaith can be very very dangerous, and deliberately to implant it into the vulnerable mind of an innocent child is a grievous wrong.
Richard DawkinsGiven infinite time, or infinite opportunities, anything is possible.
Richard DawkinsGod exists, if only in the form of a meme with high survival value, or infective power, in the environment provided by human culture.
Richard DawkinsGood public speaking is more than just decibels – a point that's often overlooked by demagogues, evangelists and – unfortunately – gullible audiences.
Richard DawkinsI am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.
Richard DawkinsI am very comfortable with the idea that we can override biology with free will.
Richard DawkinsI have tried but consistently failed to find anything in theology to be serious about.
Richard DawkinsI love words.
Richard DawkinsI mean it as a compliment when I say that you could almost define a philosopher as someone who won't take common sense for an answer.
Richard DawkinsI personally would consider it an honour to be fossilized.
Richard DawkinsI'm fascinated by the idea that genetics is digital. A gene is a long sequence of coded letters, like computer information. Modern biology is becoming very much a branch of information technology.
Richard DawkinsIf children understand that beliefs should be substantiated with evidence, as opposed to tradition, authority, revelation or faith, they will automatically work out for themselves that they are atheists.
Richard DawkinsIf something is true, no amount of wishful thinking will change it.
Richard DawkinsIs there an evolution of evolvability?
Richard DawkinsIt's very likely that most mammals have consciousness, and probably birds, too.
Richard DawkinsLet us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish.
Richard Dawkins