Richard Dawkins on CNN
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Evidently, Richard Dawkins (well-known atheist and evolutionary biologist) was supposed to be interviewd on the Paula Zahn show on CNN at 8pm tonight.
I may be a Christian, but I respect Professor Dawkins very highly. His tactics are sometimes deceitful, and he is probably the most pios SOB to perhaps ever walk the earth, but he is extremely intelligent yet is able to explain complex ideas to us simpletons. I have Mr. Dawkins on my myspace and facebook short list of people I’d like to meet, although I highly doubt he’d like to socialize with an “ignorant theist” like myself 
Anyway, I couldn’t stand the ridiculous string of Anna Nichole Smith crap, so I turned the channel. Somebody please tell me they didn’t cancel his interview to make room for another interview with someone who used to date Smith…please…someone…tell me CNN isn’t that big of a sell-out!!!
I’m sure if they did do the interview it will be posted to digg tomorrow (currently, digg is running extremely slow…hmmm…) I’m interested in how the interview went (if it went at all).
Oh well. See you tomorrow!
[tags]richard dawkins, dawkins, evolution, atheist, cnn, anna nichole smith, anna nichole[/tags]
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My opinion of CNN’s integrity is rapidly going down the tube, especially with the rather awful ‘panel’ on discrimination against atheists they showed recently (this was also hosted by Zahn, btw). They didn’t get a single atheist for the ‘panel’, and the most rational of the panelists (which doesn’t say much) is by day a sportscaster on ESPN. The prevailing attitude was ‘atheists piss people off by criticizing their religions, therefore they deserve any discrimination they get, if they’re being discriminated against at all, which we doubt’. Now I can’t claim I’ve been the recipient of much discrimination towards my religious views (or rather lack thereof), but a number of recent polls demonstrate that atheists are in fact the least trusted minority in America. I suppose if they did indeed interview Dawkins it makes up somewhat for having such a heavily one-sided panel, but I imagine even if they do a large number of people will only have seen the panel and not the interview and not get anything like a balanced treatment. I’ll look this up and see if Dawkins’ interview was indeed canceled, or merely postponed or something.
Ok, the interview has indeed been rescheduled. This redeems CNN a bit in my eyes; it would have been better to have Dawkins on the panel in the first place- he would have demolished the others’ ‘arguments’, such as they were- but at least he gets a chance at rebuttal. It’s been rescheduled to Monday the 12th at the same time.
Sorry for making multiple posts, but-
Have you read any of Dawkins’ books? If so, which? I understand that he may come across as contemptuous in person, but he is much more relaxed in his books. I perceive his somewhat condescending mannerisms as nothing more than an extreme impatience with ignorance and incompetence.
I doubt that. You have shown a willingness to listen, argue, and ask the tough questions, and while he would of course heavily disagree with your position (as, in fact, I do) I’m sure he would be willing to engage in an honest debate (such practicalities as he being a semi-celebrity with a no-doubt busy schedule aside). He might well get impatient if you used an argument he found infantile, but that’s how he is.
Saw it on digg, and you’re right, it was disgraceful. I was embarrassed watching it. It was a monologue dismissal of atheism. Obviously, I disagree with atheism, but not in the same sense as say, the black lady (can’t remember her name). She seemed to emit the same condescending attitude that many accuse Dawkins of.
none of his philosophical books, although I would like to read “Unweaving the Rainbow”. I’ve read Selfish Gene, and skimmed through Ancestors Tale. I don’t remember too much about him referring to religion in either of those, but I may be wrong.
I would hope that I wouldn’t use infantile arguments
Can’t blame him for that one!
I’m not sure that Professor Dawkins has shown much interest in a dialogue with those of opposite beliefs. I hope I’m wrong, but he seems repulsed at the thought of “debating” with religious folks, although admittedly I’m referring to debating with creationists over the issue of creation. Perhaps he’d be more willing to debate evolution, ID, or the topic of religion itself. Although, as you said, I’m sure that his schedule wouldn’t permit him taking the time to give a mere middle-class, non-celebrity, non-academic type American
There really would be no point in arguing with Dawkins – at least in a progressive manner. Logical arguments are only a measure of compatibility within a subjective interpretative framework, and so long as the axioms of two opposing viewpoints disagree with each other, there will be no basis for dialogue.
Dawkins has tried to make this clear – he considers theism a mere copout position, and therefore rejects its elementary foundations.
- Matthew
I figured as much. Dawkins, I think, is so fundamentally disgusted with religion that it would be hard to have a conversation with him. Perhaps that’s not the case, but I fear that it is.
Of course, Mr. Dawkins is welcome to come by this blog and challenge that assertion
I’d debate Richard Dawkins ANY day ANY time ANY where and SOUNDLY DEFEAT him AND/OR ANY of his followers in a debate.
It is easy to defeat an individual or an entire group, such as Dawkins boys when they have thier feet firmly planted in mid air.
God Bless ya boys,
Anthony