Natural selection builds child brains with a tendency to be… - Richard Dawkins

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Natural selection builds child brains with a tendency to believe whatever their parents and tribal elders tell them. Such trusting obedience is valuable for survival: the analogue of steering by the moon for a moth. But the flip side of trusting obedience is slavish gullibility. The inevitable by-product is vulnerability to infection by mind viruses. (p. 176)

Richard Dawkins

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About Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins (born 26 March 1941) is a British evolutionary biologist and author. He is known for his advocacy of atheism.

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Birth Name: Clinton Richard Dawkins

Alternative Names: C. Dawkins • C. Richard Dawkins • Clinton Dawkins • CR Dawkins • R. Dawkins

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Carl Sagan Sam Harris Daniel Dennett Bertrand Russell Stephen Jay Gould

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I am often accused of expressing contempt and despising religious people. I don't despise religious people, I despise what they stand for. I like to quote the British journalist Johann Hari who said, "I have so much respect for you, that I cannot respect your ridiculous ideas."

Blasphemy is a Victimless Crime.

I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable, and I live my life on the assumption that he is not there.

Natural selection builds child brains with a tendency to believe whatever their parents and tribal elders tell them. Such trusting obedience is valua… - Richard Dawkins

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