The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Peter Boghossian for a compelling conversation about Richard's latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead along with a wide array of topics including evolution, genetics, science, and the broader cultural forces that shape our understanding of truth. This episode was filmed as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Peter Boghossian is an American philosopher, author, and educator best known for his work on critical thinking, atheism, and free speech.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Michael Shermer for a compelling conversation about Richard's latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead along with a wide array of topics including evolution, genetics, science, and the broader cultural forces that shape our understanding of truth. This episode was filmed at as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Michael Shermer is a science writer and historian, founder of The Skeptics Society, and host of The Michael Shermer Show.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Matt Ridley for an insightful conversation touching on evolution, genetics, science, and culture. They explore Richard's latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead along with a wide array of topics including Matt Ridley is a science writer and journalist whose work spans evolutionary biology, economics, and the role of innovation in human progress. Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVw Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.poetry.of.reality/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Brian Keating for an insightful conversation touching on evolution, genetics, science, and culture. They explore Richard's latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead along with a wide array of topics including AI, the extended phenotype, evolution, the possibility of alien life followed by audience questions. This episode was filmed as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Brian Keating is an American cosmologist, professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego, and a bestselling author. He is renowned for his research on the early universe, cosmic microwave background radiation, and inflationary cosmology.

This article was published by the Spectator  on the 17th of April 2025, with the title  “Will the Supreme Court gender case victors get the apologies they deserve?

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Colin Wright for an insightful conversation touching on evolution, gender, science, and culture - They explore Richard's latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead along with a wide array of topics including the nature of truth, the reliability of science, evolution, and the controversies surrounding sex and gender. This episode was filmed as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Colin Wright is an evolutionary biologist and science writer whose work spans research on animal behavior, particularly social insects, and public advocacy for evidence-based discussions on sex and gender.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Nick Gillespie, for an insightful conversation touching on evolution, genetics, science, and culture. They explore Richard's latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead, along with his previous works such as The Selfish Gene. The discussion expands into science's ongoing tensions with ideology, religion, and postmodern thought, followed by a spirited audience Q&A session. This episode was filmed at Pabst Theatre, on the September 20th 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Nick Gillespie is editor-at-large at Reason magazine, a prominent journalist, and commentator known for insightful coverage of politics, culture, and free speech.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Alex O'Connor for a breakdown of his latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead. They also reflect on new atheism and the meaning vacuum, Richard's debate with Jordan Peterson, and the concept of God followed by audience questions. This episode was filmed at New Theatre, Oxford, on the 21st of Oct 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Alex O'Connor is a YouTuber, writer, and public speaker, best known as the host of the Within Reason podcast, with over one million subscribers on YouTube. He has appeared on television programs such as Piers Morgan Uncensored, BBC Sunday Morning Live, and Channel 4 News. O'Connor has debated and discussed topics including the philosophy of religion, free speech, monarchy abolitionism, and skepticism with notable figures such as Richard Dawkins, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Slavoj Žižek.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Carolyn Porco about gene immortality, ancestral traits, the extended phenotype, extraterrestrial life, criticisms of religion and atheism, followed by audience questions. This episode was filmed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on the Oct 31st 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Carolyn Porco is a renowned planetary scientist and science communicator best known for leading the imaging science team on NASA's Cassini mission to Saturn, where she played a pivotal role in major discoveries such as the geysers on Enceladus and the potential for extraterrestrial habitability. Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVw Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richard_dawkins/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

Following my dialogue with ChatGPT on whether it is conscious, I thought it would be interesting to look at its poetic creativity. I decided to give it a subject dear to my heart. Link to my Substack - https://richarddawkins.substack.com/

Richard Dawkins and Taryn Southern are back for another thought-provoking Q&A session, tackling a wide range of fascinating topics. From Richard's personal epiphany moments to his thoughts on AI, alien life, and the origins of the universe, this episode delves deep into the mysteries of evolution, intelligence, and existence. Other audience questions dive into topics like inherited knowledge, the evolution of survival instincts, and whether animals truly understand death. Richard also shares his thoughts and experiments on ChatGPT, the limits of human invention, and the most compelling theories about how our universe came to be. Referenced Articles: A conversation between Dawkins and ChatGPT - https://substack.com/home/post/p-1573... Sonnets by ChatGPT - https://substack.com/home/post/p-1583...

As part of his 2024 tour, Richard Dawkins engaged in an insightful conversation with Alex O'Connor at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles on September 28th. They discuss Dawkins' latest book; The Genetic Book of the Dead, religion, evolution, and concludes with a Q&A session. Alex O'Connor is a YouTuber, writer, and public speaker, best known as the host of the Within Reason podcast, with over one million subscribers on YouTube. He has appeared on television programs such as Piers Morgan Uncensored, BBC Sunday Morning Live, and Channel 4 News. O'Connor has debated and discussed topics including the philosophy of religion, free speech, monarchy abolitionism, and skepticism with notable figures such as Richard Dawkins, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Slavoj Žižek.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Steven Pinker about evolution, his motivation for writing The Blind Watchmaker, and a breakdown of his latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author, and public intellectual. He is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. This was filmed in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Coleman Hughes. Coleman Hughes is a writer, podcast host, and social commentator, known for his work on race, culture, and social issues. He hosts the podcast Conversations with Coleman, where he engages in deep discussions on various social topics, often challenging conventional views. This was filmed at Winspear Opera House Dallas, Texas, USA, on the 4th of September 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Andrew Gold, host of the Heretics podcast. This was filmed at Ulster Hall in Belfast, United Kingdom, on the 14th of November 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' Tour. 

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins, Richard engages in a conversation with Kmele Foster about evolution, the miracle of the human brain, the meaning provided by religion, and today's cultural hegemony that stands against truth—even within universities. This episode was filmed at Prudential Hall in Newark, NJ, on September 13th, 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' final tour.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins, Richard engages in a conversation with Chris Williamson various topics, including his recent comment on being a cultural Christian, evolution and genetic adaptation, and, of course, his latest book release, The Genetic Book of the Dead. This episode was filmed at the ACL Moody Theatre in Austin, Texas, on September 7, 2024, as part of Richard Dawkins' final tour.

Richard Dawkins Confronts Indoctrinating Christian Drama Used to Promote ‘Christian Values.' The drama targets young teens, showing them depictions of a gruesome hell, purportedly to deter sinning.

Ian McEwan is a British novelist and screenwriter. This is a discussion between Ian McEwan and Richard Dawkins on religion, science, and truth.-------------------------------------------- Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVwFollow:https://www.instagram.com/richard_dawkins/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

Richard Dawkins talks to ethologist Frans de Waal about animal behaviour and whether it is truly altruistic.  

Richard Dawkins talks to Jill Mytton about religious cults and the psychological issues raised by being brought up in them. -------------------------------------------- Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVwFollow: Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

Is Genetic Inheritance Like Mixing Red and Blue to Get Purple? What Is Natural Selection, and How Does It Create Diverse Life? In this lecture, Richard Dawkins discusses natural selection, Darwinism, and more.  

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you're ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There'll be a Q & A at every event. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I've written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you. ----------------------In this episode, Richard Dawkins talks to Adrian Hawkes about science, education, Christianity, and more. ----------------------

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you're ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There'll be a Q & A at every event. And I'll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I've written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you. ---------------------------------- In this episode, Richard Dawkins has a conversation with Dr. Peter Fisher, who is a physician and homeopath. They discuss the efficacy of Homeopath, controversy regarding funding homeopathy, and the scientific (or non scientific) nature of the field. -------------------

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you're ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There'll be a Q & A at every event. And I'll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I've written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you. ---------------------------------- In this episode, Richard Dawkins is taken on a tour of a sperm bank, where he tries to understand its workings while sharing interesting evolutionary explanations. ---------------------------------- Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/  

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you're ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There'll be a Q & A at every event. And I'll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I've written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you. ---------------------------------- Richard Dawkins talks about the potential evolutionary explanations of the "Gay Gene," trying to explain the counterintuitive but true nature of natural selection of Homosexuality. ----------------------------------

Richard Dawkins is back with Taryn Southern to answer your questions now with an AI Assistant, this time in a physical studio in the UK. Stay tuned for Richard's insightful answers, and to see if the AI can compare!

Tickets available at https://richarddawkinstour.com/ I shall be spending the whole of September, and the first week of October, in North America, speaking in ten different cities from Dallas to Vancouver. I am 83 years old, and travel is more irksome than it was. The maxim, “Quit while you're ahead” has recently received a welcome boost, and I anticipate that this will be my last American tour. My swansong. My final bow. There'll be a Q & A at every event. And I'll be signing any or all of my 19 books, including The Genetic Book of the Dead, which will be just published. This will probably be your last opportunity to tell me how profoundly you disagree with everything I've written and said. Or the reverse if that is the case. Either way, I look forward to seeing you. -------------------------------------- Richard Dawkins is back with Taryn Southern to answer your questions, this time in a physical studio in the UK. Taryn asks Richard questions from our audience about evolution, evolutionary biology, and more. Stay tuned for Richard's insightful answers.

I first encountered Lawrence Krauss sometime in the early 2000s at a conference. I had just given my lecture and was answering questions when a rather small man with a loud voice and a highly articulate manner stood up and began berating me in what I initially thought was an aggressive manner. It turned out he wasn't being aggressive; rather, his clear and direct way of speaking seemed forceful compared to the usual, more roundabout way people talk. Intrigued, I sought him out in the bar afterward, and we had a good discussion. This man was, of course, the distinguished physicist and public intellectual Lawrence Krauss. Shortly afterward, we continued our friendly disagreement in the pages of Scientific American, back when the publication still focused on science. Since then, I've interacted with Lawrence on stage more often than with anyone else. The following recording was made at Stanford University around 2007 and exemplifies how two people can have a fruitful public discussion without a chairman and outside of a debate format. The nature of our initial disagreement forms a good part of the discussion itself, so I won't spoil it here. I hope you enjoy it.

The Reverend Michael Bray is a leading advocate of murdering abortion doctors. He also takes biblical literalism to the extreme of advocating the death penalty for adultery and homosexuality. His friend and coconspirator, the Reverend Paul Hill, was executed for murdering an abortion doctor and his bodyguard. Bray strongly defends Hill's action and thinks he's now being rewarded in heaven. Bray himself served 46 months of a 10-year jail sentence for conspiracy and possession of illicit explosives. What follows is an audio recording of a long conversation I had with him in a public park in Colorado. He struck me as a deeply confused individual but at the same time sincere, a mind addled and perverted by religious faith, walking evidence of Steven Weinberg's well-known aphorism, which I quote at the end of this recording: for good people to do evil things, it takes religion.

There's a kind of conventional wisdom among broadcasters that an interview has to be adversarial. The interviewer must probe in a critical kind of way. You must have arguments. This was brought home to me some years ago when I had a conversation on stage in London, a very large audience with Steven Pinker, and it went very well. The audience liked it, and the BBC, who weren't there, got wind of it and decided they'd like to have a reprise of it later in the evening, in the News Night programme. So they asked us whether we would do it, and we agreed. Then the BBC producer rang me up and she said to me, “What's the nature of your disagreement with Dr. Pinker?” I said, “Well, I don't think there is a disagreement. I think we agree about most things.” She said, “No disagreement?” The interview was promptly cancelled.That's just an illustration, and it came to mind again when I did an interview with Steve Pinker in Boston, at Harvard. It was part of the programme I did for Channel Four in 1998 called The Genius of Charles Darwin. We had a very long conversation lasting about an hour, I suppose, and we agreed about just about everything. But I think it is illuminating. I think it's one of the best interviews I've ever done. It's two people who pretty much agree about everything we discussed, and it's as though one person was having a conversation with himself. But it's somehow better than that. I think that when you have two people who agree with each other in that kind of way, each one raises the game of the other. Let's see if you agree, listen to this conversation between me and Steve Pinker.

The savage missiles hurled at Kathleen Stock in the stocks of Sussex University gives the lie to the pretense that her tormentors should be pitied as an oppressed minority who just want to peacefully get on with their life. I've long admired her gentle courage in the face of vicious bullying. When we finally met at the Dissident Dialogues Conference in New York this May, I felt an instant affinity. It was a pleasure to conduct the following interview.Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVw Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.poetry.of.reality/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

Derren Brown is one of our leading conjurers, specializing in mentalism, the illusion of reading people's minds. I interviewed him for my Channel 4 TV documentary, Enemies of Reason. We talked about cold reading and how the technique is used by frauds who pretend to communicate with the dead, as well as by honest conjurers. Derren himself is an honest conjurer and a sharp critic of charlatans who abuse their skills, lucratively pretending to supernatural powers, which of course, they don't have. I have just listened to the interview again, and I must say I find it one of the more interesting interviews I have done. See if you agree.

Satish Kumar was one of those I interviewed for my Channel 4 documentary, ‘Enemies of Reason.' He began by telling a nice story about Bertrand Russell, whom he met as a young man and who supported him. We moved on to holism, which seemed harmless enough, but as the interview wore on, he became more and more mystical, culminating in the treeness of trees, I couldn't help wondering what Bertrand Russell would have said.

I have long wanted to meet John McWhorter. He's an extremely well-known public intellectual and opinion leader who, in my opinion, always talks sense. I have this rather eccentric idea that before becoming a public intellectual, you need to earn your credentials by having something important and interesting to be intellectual about, and John McWhorter qualifies in a big way. He is a world authority on linguistics, the study of the extraordinary phenomenon of human language, which I think is one of the most important and interesting subjects out there. We both spoke at the Dissident Dialogues conference in New York this year, and I seized the opportunity to invite him onto The Poetry of Reality. I was delighted and honored when he accepted. I began by asking him about linguistics, including the vexed question of the origin of language.Only later did we move on to his more controversial book, a book that I strongly recommend, “Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a hero, a staunch fighter against the violent intolerance and bossy control freakery of Islamism. She is also a personal friend of whom I am very fond. When she recently announced her conversion to Christianity, I assumed that she must be no more than a political Christian, regarding Christianity as a bulwark against Islam. I have some sympathy with the view that if you must have a religion at all, Christianity is hugely better than the leading alternative. In Hilaire Belloc's words, “Always keep a-hold of Nurse for fear of finding something worse.”I agreed to have a public conversation with her in New York, in which I was all prepared to emphasize the distinction between a political Christian and a true believing Christian, who actually thinks Jesus was born of a virgin and rose from the dead. I think the distinction is a really important one. I don't think a political Christian is a real Christian, any more than the kind of cultural Christian I am myself.When we met on the stage at the Dissident Dialogues meeting in New York, I was wrongfooted when Ayaan began with a personal statement which seemed to suggest that she really is a believing Christian, not just a political Christian. Well, her form of words was “I choose to believe.” I'm not sure what to make of that. Anyways, see what you think; here is the recording of our New York meeting.

(This is part 2 of Richard's interview with Alister McGrath.) I interviewed Alister McGrath for my Channel 4 documentary, Root of All Evil. He is a theologian, a nice enough fellow, but I wouldn't go out of your way to listen to this interview unless it's to remind yourself what an empty, vacuous, non-subject theology is. -------------- I will be on tour of North America, UK & EU talking about my latest book, religion, life on earth and beyond. I will be joined on stage by a range of friends and foes on stage. The events will include a Q&A and a limited meet-and-greet. You can get your tickets here: https://richarddawkinstour.com/ #richarddawkins #richarddawkinstour

I interviewed Alister McGrath for my Channel 4 documentary, Root of All Evil. He is a theologian, a nice enough fellow, but I wouldn't go out of your way to listen to this interview unless it's to remind yourself what an empty, vacuous, non-subject theology is.-------------- Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVw Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.poetry.of.reality/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkinsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooksReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

In 2008, touring America to promote The God Delusion, I spoke to a large audience at the University of California at Berkeley. It was a nostalgic visit for me, as I had spent two eventful years there as a young man. Today I stand by everything I said in the lecture. 

Why are there two sexes, and how is the balance between the two maintained in evolution? The riddle is one that baffled Chales Darwin. He explicitly left it for later generations. It was eventually solved, with typical brilliance, by the great Ronald Fisher. The fundamental sexual inequality is an economic one. Eggs are hugely larger than sperm. From this much follows. Why do peacocks have such a ridiculously large, ornamental “tail”, when it obviouly must put them in danger? Do females go for male beauty for beauty's sake (as Darwin thought, and Fisher explained)? Or are males advertising some useful quality (as AlfredWallace, Darwin's co-discoverer of natural selection, insisted). Is the peacock's tail favoured in spite of being a handicap? Or could it be favoured precisely becuse it is a costly handicap? Does it have to be costly as a certificate of honesty? Do females only go for honest males? This is a talk I gave on a ship crusing the Galapagos archipelago.

I filmed a conversation about death shortly after Dan Dennett recovered from a life-threatening condition. In addition to discussing personal mortality, we talked about bereavement. I thought this time it would be appropriate to listen again to his wisdom—the wisdom of a great thinker and a dear friend. Big books, was an eloquent speaker, had deep knowledge of science as well as philosophy, was a talented musician and sculptor, lived a full life and died in harness. It leaves a huge gap in the world of intellect, Dan, I will miss you so much, so deeply.

This episode features the eminent scientist, Prof. Martin Rees, as he joins me in traversing the worlds of physics and biology. Together, he and I grapple with the profound complexities of understanding reality, from contemplating multiple dimensions to exploring the implications of scientific insights that inspire and challenge us. Dive into the evolution of humankind to include digital and AI creations, ponder philosophical questions of consciousness and self-awareness, and speculate on the future of machine consciousness.

Join me for another thought-provoking Q&A session with Taryn Southern on a wide range of topics, from the ethics of selective breeding and eugenics to western liberal sympathy toward Islam and wokeism. You asked me what I think about trans people, genes and sexual orientation, mindfulness and AI______________________ Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVw Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.poetry.of.reality/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality

In this episode, journalist Andrew Sullivan and Richard Dawkins fearlessly confront society's aversion to directness and the double standards that govern criticism, challenging the breakdown of democratic conversation in America. They take a little dip into Dawkins' upbringing in Kenya and England before exploring the primal instincts of prey, predator, and the arms race, shedding light on nature's intent and the marvels of survival. As they navigate the terrifying yet exhilarating immensity of the universe, they contemplate and debate over life's meaning, Jesus and the role of religion as solace in the face of nothingness. But does moral philosophy really require the supernatural? Does scienctific truth make a man desolate? And what is the truth of human nature and the sex binary? Sullivan and Dawkins tackle a wide array of topics, leaving no stone unturned in their quest for understanding.

Richard Dawkins is coming for the world's psychics, telepaths and spiritualist practitioners in this episode, with his relentless curiosity and pursuit for revealing the truth against all odds. Richard fearlessly confronts psychic Craig Hamilton Parker in a quest to unravel the mysteries of spiritualist practices. He rigorously channels his dedication to exposing scams and dismantling delusions as he challenges Parker's claims about communicating with the spirit world, with razor-sharp logic and unyielding skepticism. Watch as this back-and-forth sheds light on the truth behind the veil of mysticism and explores science's long battle with mediums. Skepticism vs belief, faith vs empirical evidence, reason vs the fog of deception - who wins this round?

Dissident Dialogues is a place for dangerous ideas. Buy your tickets now at https://dissidentdialogues.org/ and be part of the conversation.Head to http://factormeals.com/reality50 and use code REALITY50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next box.I had an intriguing conversation with Bishop Richard Holloway, former Head of the Church of Scotland. He is a most intelligent, interesting and pleasant man.Join us as we explore the human lust to be good to others, and the impulse to give. We navigate the delicate balance between belief and scepticism, with Holloway confessing that he's “between gods” and me reflecting on being, technically, an agnostic.Throughout our conversation, we critically examine the poetic value of religious myth and its impact on human culture. We confront the age-old question of whether religion offers consoling fiction or genuine comfort in the face of life's uncertainties.

In this episode I sit down with Professor Michael Baum to dissect with brutal honesty the intricacies and pitfalls of the alternative medicine industry. We dive deep into the challenges posed by a scientifically illiterate House of Commons and the prevailing misconception that science is too daunting for the average person to comprehend. We confront the disturbing trend of individuals taking pride in their ignorance, a mindset that perpetuates the acceptance of unproven remedies in the fight against cancer.From herbal remedies to homeopathy and other alternative medicines, Michael Baum and I unravel the allure of these treatments, examining the placebo effect and the reliance on anecdotal evidence that often accompanies them. We emphasize the vital importance of the scientific method, which demands unwavering honesty and has the potential to challenge our deeply entrenched belief systems. 

Deepak Chopra is a medical doctor with mystical leanings, who has built a highly successful second career as a purveyor of alternative remedies, and deepities that I would say – and here, I suppose I show my bias – impress those who think that if they can't understand something it must be profoundly significant. As part of my Channel Four documentary Enemies of Reason, I asked him to explain his concept of Quantum Healing. We went on from there.

This episode features a conversation with my friend, writer, broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth, from his podcast Rosebud. We reminisce over my memories of growing up in Kenya and the UK, going over our journeys with private education, bad teachers, young love, and the first time learning about starfish filled me with wonder and awe over science and the natural world.

It was my pleasure to speak with American cosmologist and professor of physics Janna Levin, about a range of subjects around religion, morality and improving public scientific literacy. How does our society rob children of the right to truth, by indoctrinating them into their beliefs at an early age? We discuss freedom through science, the inspiration of wonder and awe in the cosmos in my books Outgrowing God, The Selfish Gene, Climbing Mount Improbable and Unweaving The Rainbow, morality and altruism, and the love and hate my work receives in equal parts from across the world. _______________________ Join Substack: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/ Subscribe to Poetry of Reality Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwfdgHA_R9fzr1L0_hxdVw Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.poetry.of.reality/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardDawkinsBooks Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePoetryofReality