The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins

The Poetry of Reality is hosted by world renowned truth-teller, evolutionary biologist and best-selling author, Professor Richard Dawkins. He has been celebrated globally for his honest critique of religion and tradition and his push for critical thinking. His books include The Ancestor’s Tale, The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, A Devil’s Chaplain, The God Delusion, The Greatest Show on Earth, The Magic of Reality, his two-part autobiography An Appetite for Wonder and A Brief Candle in the Dark, and Outgrowing God: A Beginner’s Guide. Dawkins has long been known for his uncompromising passion for science, calling out for the pressing need in modern societies for scientific literacy and rational thinking, especially in the education of young minds. His relentless pursuit of truth, and his recognition of the beauty of life on earth, will feature in this podcast, as he charts his way through scientific and existential inquiries like ‘What are we doing here?’ and ‘When did life begin?’

  • 13 minutes 46 seconds
    If God designed it, why is it so badly built?

    In this episode, Richard Dawkins revisits a 2012 conversation from the Great Minds program, produced by the Educational Broadcasting System in South Korea. He examines why life looks designed yet is full of flaws, showing how imperfections in nature reveal the true workings of evolution and expose the limits of intelligent design.
     


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    16 October 2025, 4:07 pm
  • 15 minutes 47 seconds
    Why Ants Tear Off Their Own Wings

    In this episode, Richard Dawkins revisits a 2012 conversation from the Great Minds program, produced by the Educational Broadcasting System in South Korea. Drawing on themes from his book Flights of Fancy, Dawkins explores humanity’s ancient dream of flight, the physics that govern it, and the evolutionary paths that enabled some creatures to soar while others lost their wings.


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    30 September 2025, 5:16 pm
  • 1 hour 15 minutes
    Why Ideas Spread Like Viruses

    In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard joins a live audience in Edinburgh to discuss his latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead. In this wide-ranging conversation, he reflects on how DNA preserves the story of evolution, describing organisms as “living books” that record the environments of their ancestors. He explores camouflage, whale ancestry, convergent evolution, and the hidden logic of genes, while breaking down ideas like genomes as cooperatives of viruses. He also reflects on memes, the extended phenotype, and the surprising ways evolution shapes both biology and culture.


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    20 September 2025, 2:43 pm
  • 1 hour 37 minutes
    Can We Still Be Optimistic About the Future? | A Conversation with Steven Pinker

    In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins and Steven Pinker explore the frontiers of science, language, morality, artificial intelligence, evolution, and the future of human civilization. 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.


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    14 September 2025, 4:03 pm
  • 1 hour 24 minutes
    What It Is Like To Debate Jordan Peterson |A Conversation with Nihal Arthanayake
    In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Nihal Arthanayake for a compelling conversation in London, England This episode was filmed as part of Richard Dawkins' tour. Nihal Arthanayake is an acclaimed multi-award winning broadcaster, journalist, podcaster and author. He currently presents the Headliners Podcast on the BBC in the UK. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    11 July 2025, 4:18 pm
  • 20 minutes 7 seconds
    Richard Dawkins DESTROYS Creationist Arguments
    In this episode, Richard Dawkins reacts to a compilation of videos featuring arguments about religion, evolution, and science. This is the first video in the new series, Richard Dawkins Reacts, where Richard Dawkins watches clips from the internet ranging from creationist claims to debates on science and faith—and shares his unfiltered thoughts and insights. A straightforward look at how science is misunderstood—and why it matters. 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    20 June 2025, 5:11 pm
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    Why The Selfish Gene Haunts Some Readers | A Conversation with John McWhorter
    In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins John McWhorter 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. John McWhorter is a linguist, author, and professor at Columbia University, best known for his work in creole studies, sociolinguistics, and for his commentary on race, language, and politics in American society. 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    13 June 2025, 4:57 pm
  • 1 hour 31 minutes
    Some 'Intellectuals' Make It Sound Deep | A Conversation with Peter Boghossian
    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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    30 May 2025, 8:28 pm
  • 1 hour 35 minutes
    Why i Care About the Existence of God | A Conversation with Michael Shermer
    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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    23 May 2025, 6:19 pm
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
    Is New Atheism Losing? | A Conversation with Matt Ridley
    In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins joins Matt Ridley for an insightful conversation touching on evolution, genetics, science, and culture. 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    16 May 2025, 6:21 pm
  • 1 hour 35 minutes
    ChatGPT Passed the Turing test, but… | A Conversation with Brian Keating
    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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    13 May 2025, 5:31 pm
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