The Dawkins Files

I spent a good chunk of the morning watching interviews, features, and excerpts of Richard Dawkins on YouTube. I got a taste of his work in The Greatest Show on Earth, and liked what I read. I continued with The God Delusion.

It's fun to watch him debate creationists, especially ones that hide their hostility under a facade of politeness. Consider the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFjoEgYOgRo

Even when provided real evidence, the response is the proverbial finger in the ears going "la la la la, I can't hear you."

And this is a woman who obviously has a large following with real political power. Please tell me this isn't going to be the future of America. I want my son's education to be thorough, encompassing the complexity of science, the importance of critical thinking and real evidence for personal conclusions.

Another interesting interview on Australian television really underscores the wishy wash politics. Check this one out:

Q & A - ABC Australia - Richard Dawkins Part 1 - 6

He asks the senator point blank what he believes, and what does the "family first" senator do? Dances around the question, proclaiming people can make their own conclusions. So what is your conclusion? You are entitled to it after all, mister Senator.

I plan on tying all this together with Zarathustra in good time, still in the process of reading that one.