Richard Dawkins, world renowned evolutionary biologist and headliner of OU’s Darwin 2009 celebration, will speak at 7 tonight in the McCasland Field House.
Dawkins will discuss the difference between genuine purpose, as in the mechanics of a camera or a car, and primitive purpose, such as different species.
His lecture, titled “The Purpose of Purpose,” will focus on the relationship between purpose and evolution and argue that belief in God is delusional.
Admission is free, doors open at 5:30 p.m. and seating is on a first-come first-served basis. There will be a question-and-answer session and book signing following the lecture, anthropology professor Cecil Lewis said.
Dawkins was a professor at University of California Berkeley and Oxford University, according to his Web site. He is the author of several books on Darwinian theory, and his most famous book, “The Selfish Gene,” has sold millions of copies in more than 25 languages.
Dawkins said he is adamantly atheist and believes there is a scientific reason for everything. He said that some people are biologically predisposed to believe in a religion, but it is easily overcome with education.
“I believe in God no more than I believe in fairies,” Dawkins said.
His presence can be very controversial at universities, and protesters often demonstrate against his atheist views, he said.
“None of them bother to come inside and ask a question,” Dawkins said.
Dawkins said he became interested in evolutionary biology when he realized there were different religions and they can’t all be right. Raised in the Church of England, he found no particular reason that Christianity was right, he said. He began to understand the world in a naturalistic or scientific way.
“How could you not want to devote your whole life to [evolutionary biology],” Dawkins said. “Look at the trees, look at the birds.”
Dawkins said he read “On the Origin of Species” when he was in his 20s and was impressed with its clarity. He said that Darwin wrote in simple language because he wanted people to understand his theory.
He said he would be willing to take any questions tonight.
“Richard Dawkins has made remarkable contributions and had major influence on science and science education,” Lewis said. “It’s a remarkable opportunity and a remarkable speech.”
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mikedavis 3 years, 2 months ago
WHOAH.
Somebody at the daily take a look at this:
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/03/06/1726211&from=rss
WorldRenowned 3 years, 2 months ago
Four words into the article and there's already a typo. And the first two words were the guy's name. Good job. World renowned (adjective).
Renown (noun) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/renowned?qsrc=2888