Customer Reviews

Charlie Rose with Richard Dawkins; Stanley Tucci; Susan Sarandon; Alain Ducasse (April 11, 2000)

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In the most interesting part of this interview Dawkins answers Rose's question regarding the one great unanswered question of Science. He says ' subjective consciousness' and says he would like to understand how and why it evolved. When asked about the one great question which he thinks may be understood in the years ahead Dawkins answers 'the origin of life.But he is rightfully cautious indicating that whatever theory emerges however coherent it cannot really tell for certain what happened four million years ago. Dawkins also speaks about cloning and makes the very interesting comment that he himself would like to be cloned in order as elderly person to see how someone so similar to himself would develop in a time far different from the one he was raised in. He also talks about the great moment of his life in which he felt having Darwinian natural selection as explanation for the development of life he could say goodbye to God as Designer of the intricacies of nature. Here I deeply part company with him and his tone of celebration. When Rose asks about the 'afterlife' and Religions appeal because of it, and too because of the sense of 'belonging it gives' Dawkins stands on his idea that he will believe in nothing that there is not good evidence for. He presents himself as skeptical truthseeker for whom the evidence is what is important. But I myself wonder how anyone could live in this world without believing in all sorts of things we do not have evidence, or conclusive proof for- among them are own continuous identity as individual persons.
In any case Dawkins at his best is informative and rich in ideas. His passion for truth may be limited to the truths which Science alone gives but he is certainly worth listening to and learning from.