Richard Dawkins, full name Clinton Richard Dawkins, is a British evolutionary biologist, ethologist, and popular science author. He was born in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 26, 1941. He focused on the gene as the main force in evolution and stirred up a lot of controversy with his sincere atheistic advocacy. We see he wrote The Selfish Gene, his debut book, in 1976 in an effort to clear up what he believed to be a common misconception of Darwinism. Dawkins established the nonprofit Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reasoning in 2006. It funded studies on the psychology of belief and religion, materials and programs for scientific education. And promoted and supported secular nonprofits.
Quotes-
1. “It can be consoling to think your children are in Heaven. You have got to understand that that doesn’t make it true. Many people cannot understand that distinction.” – Richard Dawkins
In this passage, Richard talks about people who believe that their deceased children are in Heaven. Even though there is a distinction between Heaven and Hell, and not everyone is deserving of eternal life. However, parents of deceased children often believe that their children are in Heaven. Even though this is not necessarily the case. It’s possible that people act kindly because they practice their religion. One possible explanation is that they are hoping to receive a reward in Heaven, which is not a very noble motive.
2. “But, however many ways there may be of being alive, it is certain that there are vastly more ways of being dead, or rather not alive.” – Richard Dawkins
This quotation talks about the different ways people live their lives because, in Dawkins’ opinion, there are many more ways to be dead than alive since. After death, a person is remembered in various ways and is given much more importance. No matter how many times you randomly combine cells over a billion years, you will never produce a body of cells. That is capable of flying, swimming, or doing any other activity that could be remotely construed as an attempt to maintain life.
3. “The idea of an afterlife where one can be reunited with loved ones can be immensely consoling – though not to me.” – Richard Dawkins
This quotation, according to Dawkins, states that a person hopes to meet and spend time with their family or someone very close in the afterlife. To comfort them while they wait for their loved ones to return.
4. “Not believing in the afterlife gives greater meaning and greater fullness to the one life we have. You don’t mess around wasting your time in this life because you expect to have another one. You’re not going to get another life. Make the most of this one.” – Richard Dawkins
The message of this saying is that one should not wait till death to live life to the fullest and that we should not view the afterlife as a second opportunity. Instead, we should make the most of the one we have at hand and not waste time hoping for a better one. The life that has been given must be viewed as the sole life. Thus we must utilize it.
5. “Today, the theory of evolution is about as much open to doubt as the theory that the earth goes round the sun.” – Richard Dawkins
The evolution theory is discussed in this quotation. Both of these theories are contested by certain people. However, something isn’t true just because you might doubt or believe it. Sometimes it just makes sense to conduct research and consider theories based on facts.
6. “Be thankful that you have a life, and forsake your vain and presumptuous desire for a second one.” – Richard Dawkins
This quote means that one must express gratitude for the life one already have. And give up your arrogant and selfish desire for a second one and live the life we have to the fullest. Without any hesitation because you only get to live once. It gives a lesson to live it to the full.
7. “It is interesting to ask whether there’s any general reason why being religious might make you do nice things or nasty things. It’s possible that people do nice things because they’re religious. One reason might be they’re hoping for a reward in Heaven, which is not a very noble reason.” – Richard Dawkins
In the quotation, Dawkins discusses whether there is a particular reason why only religion motivates individuals to behave well or to be decent people. In this quotation, he is saying that everyone, regardless of whether they believe in God or not, should try to be kind to others. He is also saying that anyone who believes in God or is religious and believes they will go to Heaven once they die if they are kind to others.
8. “One of the possible reasons why we might be good is that we’re frightened of God. We want the reward in Heaven, and we don’t want to go to Hell. That would be an ignoble, ignominious reason for being good, and I think that if anybody was good to you just because they hoped for a heavenly reward, you wouldn’t respect them; you’d probably give them a wide berth.” – Richard Dawkins
This quotation discusses that we only act morally upright because we are terrified of God and hope to spend eternity in Heaven rather than Hell. He asserts that everyone who is kind to you might be doing it out of a desire to avoid punishment and eternal punishment. But if you learned the truth about the source of their kindness, you wouldn’t respect them and would prefer to avoid them.
9. “You can’t blame science for being used for evil purposes. What you can do is say, ‘This is an exceedingly powerful tool.’ And you want to make sure it is used for a good purpose, not a bad one. That is a political decision.” – Richard Dawkins
Science is a remarkably strong tool. Science in and of itself is neutral. The effects of tool use are determined by the users of the tool. Dawkins refers to it as a political choice because the majority of us do not have the power to decide how scientific advancements are applied. Instead, the people we elect to the office make these decisions.
10. “The cynic about human nature might say that religious morality is an effective way of keeping people in line. The threat of Hell, the reward of Heaven, the rules of the holy books are out of date and often barbaric.” – Richard Dawkins
This Dawkins quotation discusses the morally upright nature of people and what motivates them to lead decent lives. Because of the terror of Hell and the promise of Heaven. As well as the fact that many of the regulations in religious texts are outdated. And have little application in modern society, people try to live better lives.
11. “The theory of evolution by cumulative natural selection is the only theory we know of that is in principle capable of explaining the existence of organized complexity.” – Richard Dawkins
Evolution is somewhere related to the afterlife, and this quote talks about natural selection. It is an organism’s capacity to adapt to environmental changes and endure. Since adaptability is both a quality and a skill, you can take steps to make yourself more adaptable. Don’t expect anything to be stable, and first, realize that nothing is permanent. Next, when change is occurring, pay attention to the good things. The negative aspects do not magically vanish, but by concentrating on the good, you might view the situation from a different angle.
12. “Sometimes in life, it is a good idea to stop; sometimes, it is a good idea to go on. The trick is to decide when to stop.” – Richard Dawkins
This quote means that stopping need not imply having to give up. Making the decision to stop something can involve pausing. How do you know when to put a halt to what isn’t merely a break? Stop pursuing a goal if it no longer matters to you. You don’t need to continue on the route if it isn’t advancing your goal. Give yourself permission to let go of the reward if it is not worth the effort and sacrifice you are making.
13. “Faith is powerful enough to immunize people against all appeals to pity, to forgiveness, and to decent human feelings. It even immunizes them against fear if they honestly believe that a martyr’s death will send them straight to Heaven.” – Richard Dawkins
The most powerful force in the universe, faith can inspire individuals to forgive and encourage them to express their emotions. One experiences the feeling that if he behaves in a certain way, he will be sent to Heaven through faith. The key to having faith is knowing that something will happen despite not knowing how.
14. “Most thoughtful people would agree that morality in the absence of policing is somehow more truly moral than the kind of false morality that vanishes as soon as the police go on strike or the spy camera is switched off, whether the camera is a real one monitored in the police station or an imaginary one in heaven.” – Richard Dawkins
Since moral policing is the act of someone or a group of people trying to enforce certain laws in line with their wish, the quote refers to the most thoughtful people. Ones who understand that the objective of Heaven is to leave this finite life and make a connection with an infinite spirit. We don’t know if there is a spy camera for real or if it is an imagined one located in Heaven. But even when someone commits an act they feel is wrong, they don’t hold back from doing it. They also do something different and immoral when the camera is switched off.
15. “We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born.”- Richard Dawkins
Always act as if each day is your last. Live life to the fullest and achieve everything you desire. Always be upbeat. There shouldn’t be any room for unfavorable ideas. Always choose the good outcome when making decisions, and everything else will work out well, this is how you can live your life and make everyday memorable and those who enjoy their life are the one who actually lived.
16. “There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point… The truly adult view, by contrast, is that our life is as meaningful, as full and as wonderful as we choose to make it.”- Richard Dawkins
The realization that everyone is ultimately accountable for their actions is one of life’s most important and commonly acknowledged realizations. With our deeds and responses, we shape our future. It’s crucial to keep in mind that some people may face a longer and more difficult journey toward taking control of their lives. And rather than passing judgement on them, we should try to comprehend their difficulties and lend a helping hand.
17. “Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.”- Richard Dawkins
Some individuals hold the opinion that a child simply picks up knowledge from what their parents teach them, while others hold the opinion that a child is born with certain morals. In reality, a child’s values are largely shaped by what their parents teach them. The most significant obligation that parents have to their children is to put in them sound morals and judgement. A parent should punish their child in a way that is appropriate while also allowing them to be who they are as a person. They should act in the same way that they would like their child to act.
18. “Let children learn about different faiths, let them notice their incompatibility, and let them draw their own conclusions about the consequences of that incompatibility. As for whether they are ‘valid,’ let them make up their own minds when they are old enough to do so.”- Richard Dawkins
Let children learn their lessons by making mistakes. let them know what faith is. Let them draw their own conclusions about the consequences and make them their own decision about life.
19. “Unfortunately, however much we may deplore something, it does not stop being true.”- Richard Dawkins
The Value of the Truth. Truth is important to us personally and to society as a whole. Being honest allows us as people to develop as people and learn from our errors. Truthfulness strengthens social ties in society, while lying and hypocrisy weaken them. Truth can’t be hidden no matter how much you try it comes out eventually.