Is Richard Dawkins a good scientist?

[Noa]

It is hard to blame someone who has joined popular publication and lecture circuits for not continuing in their old field. Almost none of them do. Public writing and speaking is incredibly time-consuming.

 

[Robert.Evans]

One of our friends here gave an opinion that Richard Dawkins is not a scientist.

What is your opinion? Please

A scientist who uses his position to tell everybody his opinion and make money out of it. Assuming you are not in that same position, try it sometime and see how far you get!

 

[paarsurrey]

He is most definitely a scientist. But, recently he has been focusing on strong atheism and the harm that religion causes. But, that doesn't effect his scientific credentials in the least, as they aren't related to science.

Is it a scientific problem? by what standards?
Regards

 

[leibowde84]

Is it a scientific problem? by what standards?
Regards

No, it is not a scientific problem. It is a sociological problem.

 

[paarsurrey]

No, it is not a scientific problem. It is a sociological problem.

You mean it neither belongs to science nor the truthful religion and hence Dawkins is engaged in "extra-curricular" activity aimlessly and without any expertise in it?
Regards

 

[Noa]

You mean it neither belongs to science nor the truthful religion and hence Dawkins is engaged in "extra-curricular" actively aimlessly and without any expertise in it?
Regards

That is actually a pretty good description of many celebrity non-fiction authors. There seems to be this odd notion that fame somehow gives you expertise in areas simply because people are willing to publish you now.

 

[paarsurrey]

That is actually a pretty good description of many celebrity non-fiction authors. There seems to be this odd notion that fame somehow gives you expertise in areas simply because people are willing to publish you now.

Nevertheless, it is not becoming of a good scientist. Right?
Regards

 

[Noa]

Nevertheless, it is not becoming of a good scientist. Right?
Regards

I do not see it as related to being a scientist whatsoever. Some biologist somewhere might have the hobby of being the best tattoo artist in a hundred mile radius but that has no impact on his scientific work. Just the same, what people like Dawkins do with their public career has no bearing on their professional scientific achievements beforehand. They are unrelated.

 

[paarsurrey]

I do not see it as related to being a scientist whatsoever. Some biologist somewhere might have the hobby of being the best tattoo artist in a hundred mile radius but that has no impact on his scientific work. Just the same, what people like Dawkins do with their public career has no bearing on their professional scientific achievements beforehand. They are unrelated.

I endorse you. Who else endorses it here?
Regards

 

[leibowde84]

You mean it neither belongs to science nor the truthful religion and hence Dawkins is engaged in "extra-curricular" actively aimlessly and without any expertise in it?
Regards

He obviously has done a lot of research, but he's not a sociologist. But, there are far more theists who attempt to speak to flaws in science when they are completely out of their element, not having done any research. That is why he is so upset. People who know nothing about the evidence for evolution doubt it without reason. The god of the gaps argument infuriates me as well, and I'm a theist.

Also, In the same way as Dawkins partaking in extra-curriculars, I play in a band every weekend. Sometimes I get paid well for it. But, that doesn't make me any less of a lawyer.

 

[paarsurrey]

He obviously has done a lot of research, but he's not a sociologist. But, there are far more theists who attempt to speak to flaws in science when they are completely out of their element, not having done any research. That is why he is so upset. People who know nothing about the evidence for evolution doubt it without reason. The god of the gaps argument infuriates me as well, and I'm a theist.
Also, In the same way as Dawkins partaking in extra-curriculars, I play in a band every weekend. Sometimes I get paid well for it. But, that doesn't make me any less of a lawyer.

That might be a serious activity.
Why should one ridicule and deride others on unscientific grounds because of one's stature, in the name of science?
Regards

 

[leibowde84]

That might be a serious activity.
Why should one ridicule and deride others on unscientific grounds because of one's stature, in the name of science?
Regards

He does it explicitly in the name of allowing evidence to guide your understanding rather than anonymously written books written thousands of years ago. I'm sure that, as a scientist, it frustrates him that parents teach their children to doubt evidence in the name of religious beliefs. Seems pretty reasonable.

 

[paarsurrey]

He does it explicitly in the name of allowing evidence to guide your understanding rather than anonymously written books written thousands of years ago. I'm sure that, as a scientist, it frustrates him that parents teach their children to doubt evidence in the name of religious beliefs. Seems pretty reasonable.

Truthful religion supports appropriate evidence for the relative field.
Regards

 

[angellous_evangellous]

One of our friends here gave an opinion that Richard Dawkins is not a scientist.

What is your opinion? Please

Not only is he an immanent scientist, he has mentored scores of the most influential scientists of our time.

He's also a philosopher.

 

[Noa]

Not only is he an immanent scientist, he has mentored scores of the most influential scientists of our time.

He's also a philosopher.

Your signature pecks away at me. Are you saying that Rebecca St. James is not cool? Because that is just crazy talk.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Your signature pecks away at me. Are you saying that Rebecca St. James is not cool? Because that is just crazy talk.

I cannot say a word about St. James. I don't know if she thinks that she's cool (I certainly hope not), and her daughter Gemma was born the day after my Lily.

 

[Noa]

I cannot say a word about St. James. I don't know if she thinks that she's cool (I certainly hope not), and her daughter Gemma was born the day after my Lily.

I have absolutely no idea if St. James considers herself cool. But I think she is pretty cool. And I do not even listen to CCM any longer.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

A scientist who uses his position to tell everybody his opinion and make money out of it.

You really have it in for poor Saint Dawkins! I think you're just shooting the messenger though.

 

[paarsurrey]

You really have it in for poor Saint Dawkins! I think you're just shooting the messenger though.

He hasn't shot any saint. He is just making him realize.
Regards

 

[paarsurrey]

He obviously has done a lot of research, but he's not a sociologist. But, there are far more theists who attempt to speak to flaws in science when they are completely out of their element, not having done any research. That is why he is so upset. People who know nothing about the evidence for evolution doubt it without reason. The god of the gaps argument infuriates me as well, and I'm a theist.
Also, In the same way as Dawkins partaking in extra-curriculars, I play in a band every weekend. Sometimes I get paid well for it. But, that doesn't make me any less of a lawyer.

What difference would it make if an ordinary man does not believe evolution to be true? It is not a question of bread and butter that they should bother about it. Is Dawkins a priest of evolution that it makes him upset and he ridicules religion? Billions peoples would have died before Charles Darwin without knowing of truth of evolution, so it is not that human problem to upset one.
Evolution is truthful, I know, though.

Regards