Richard Dawkins Quotes

The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.

Richard Dawkins
Science

The universe doesn't owe us condolence or consolation; it doesn't owe us a nice warm feeling inside.

Richard Dawkins
Existence

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
Life

Let us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish.

Richard Dawkins
Altruism

Religion is about turning untested belief into unshakable truth through the power of institutions and the passage of time.

Richard Dawkins
Religion

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.

Richard Dawkins
Faith

It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid, or insane (or wicked, but I’d rather not consider that).

Richard Dawkins
Evolution

I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.

Richard Dawkins
Religion

I am against religion because it is cruel, irrational, superstitious, and usually dangerous.

Richard Dawkins
Religion

By all means let’s be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.

Richard Dawkins
Skepticism

Natural selection is anything but random.

Richard Dawkins
Evolution

We are machines built by DNA whose purpose is to make more copies of the same DNA.

Richard Dawkins
Evolution

Science is interesting, and if you don't agree, you can fuck off.

Richard Dawkins
Science

It is often said, mainly by the 'no-contests', that although there is no positive evidence for the existence of God, nor is there evidence against his existence. So it is best to keep an open mind and be agnostic. At first sight that seems an unassailable position, at least in the weak sense of Pascal's wager. But on second thoughts it seems a cop-out, because the same could be said of Father Christmas and tooth fairies.

Richard Dawkins
Agnosticism

The total amount of suffering per year in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation. During the minute that it takes me to compose this sentence, thousands of animals are being eaten alive, many others are running for their lives, whimpering with fear, others are slowly being devoured from within by rasping parasites, thousands of all kinds are dying of starvation, thirst, and disease.

Richard Dawkins
Nature

Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.

Richard Dawkins
Education

We are all 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
Life