Free Essay

Richard Dawkins Worldview Paper

In: Religion Topics

Submitted By sunydawn99
Words 944
Pages 4
Richard Dawkins Richard Dawkins is an Oxford biologist and well respected speaker who believes there is no such thing as God or anything supernatural. He adopted the theory of natural selection as an "adequate explanation for the beauty and complexity of life" (Dawkins, 2009, p. 23). Richard Dawkins’ feelings about family, social issues and the nature of God is represented in his worldview. I will compare and contrast the values and actions of Richard Dawkins with my own. Richard Dawkins worldview is evident in his look at the family unit. His Atheism didn’t develop overnight. He was raised as a Christian but never was quite satisfied with its explanations (Dawkins, 2009). When he was nine he first learned from his mother that "Christianity wasn't the only religion and that they all contradicted each other" (Stewart, 2013, p. 2). Dawkins believes that influencing a child’s beliefs to follow that of the parents is a form of child abuse. They should be encouraged from the time they are very young to start thinking and making religious type decisions for themselves (Dawkins, 2009). Richard Dawkins doesn't believe that morals need to have anything to do with religion, nor do we learn good ethics and morals from the Bible (Dawkins, 2006). He also believes in the use of birth control and that religion is wrong thinking it can dictate this. Overpopulation has resulted in much poverty and Dawkins believes that religion is to blame for this (Dawkins 2009). My family values resemble his in that I try to be a good example to my son about doing the right and honest thing and working hard at whatever I do. It is important to help our children be successful but humble in life, keep a high moral standard, and be compassionate to those around them, however I believe the Bible has set this moral standard and it was solidified with Jesus’ kind example. I do agree with the use of birth control as there is so much irresponsibility with unplanned childbirth, and we need to do what we can to help this. Richard Dawkins' beliefs about social issues are based on his disdain for organized religion. He claims that organized religion is responsible for much violence and many wars (Dawkins, 2009). Everyone thinks they are fulfilling God’s will when they attack another people. Dawkins claims that “morality and sexuality is not contingent upon the existence of God, but rather the process of natural selection”. He presents the theory that people are actually born gay due to a chromosome and feels that science may be able to determine if a child will be gay before they are born, but also feel that upbringings may have a significant affect as well (Musgrave, 2012). I feel that God made everyone a certain way, even though the bible says that a man shall not lay with a man, God will be the one to judge that, not me. Richard Dawkins' beliefs about the nature of God is the premise behind his worldview. He is a profound atheist. He does not believe in a supernatural being and God does not exist. Dawkins claims that the existence of God leaves too many unanswered questions and leaves it up to science to explain. "The laws of physics have conspired to make the collisions of atoms produce plants, kangaroos, insects- and us" (Ashford, 2012, p. 28). When he came across Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, all of Dawkins' unanswered questions came together. According to Dawkins, this is how the world came to be. I do not believe in natural selection, I believe in the Creation and I try to lead a life that would be pleasing unto God. Richard Dawkins is definitely a potential role model for any number of people as he retains high values and a high moral standard. He is successful and driven to discover the core of his own belief system and what he believes as his purpose is here on this earth. Dawkins is a very respected leader and innovator in the scientific community. His scientific explanation of life and the earth is very simple and straightforward, making it very attractive to a number of people. I think another reason why Richard Dawkins theory attracts so many, is that it's easy to justify one's actions when there is no God to one day answer to. There is a lot less guilt involved with our day to day decisions. Richard Dawkins is very revered in the atheistic community. His theory is not at all one that I share. His reasoning leaves such a cold feeling in my heart that can only be comforted by faith in god and the knowledge of the afterlife. Family is how we first gain a worldview and as we grow, it forms into our own. I believe religion is a valid component to wars and violence, but all of this was prophesied about in the Bible. Religion helps to guide us through social issues and questions we might have. Lastly, the nature of God is that he exists and is a loving and true God. He created the heavens and the earth and has laid out a plan for us to return to Him.

Ashford, J. (2012). Oxford debate rumbles on. Reform Magazine, 27-28.
Dawkins, R. (2009). Foreign Policy, (176), 49.
Dawkins, R. (2006). The God Delusion. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Musgrave, C. (2012). Richard Dawkins: The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution. Science & Education, 21(1), 135-140. doi:10.1007/s11191-010-9296-1
Stewart, I. (2013). Evolution in the head. New Statesman, 142(5179), 44-46.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Apologetics Application Paper

...Apologetics Application Paper: Part 2 Submission Form Kristina Pickett APOL 500 November 15, 2014 Instructions for submitting the Apologetics Application Paper: Part 2 • Complete your introduction as it will appear in the final paper. • Include an outline of each major element of the final paper. • Include your full bibliography. • Follow the template / submission form provided. Submit the Apologetics Application Paper: Part 2 by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 4. Add as much space as necessary to each section below. 1. Introduction Paragraph for Final Paper: As a Christian born and raised I have created for myself a sheltered little world where only Christians exist. My entire family is Christian, I grew up in a predominately Christian neighborhood, of course, I only associated with the Christian neighbors, I attended a small Christian college and I married a Christian. My husband and I decided to raise our little Christian family in a middle upper class community with the mindset that we would provide for our children a more affluent environment, provide a better public education and give them opportunities for a more successful future. We also wanted diversity for our children so that they would have the advantage of experiencing different cultures and having a broader general worldview of humanity. Good idea, yet, unexpected results. We found it very difficult to raise...

Words: 603 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Dynamic

...iNTEGRATIVE Perpetual evolution: A dynamic integrative approach to developing praxis in counselling psychology Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Theory Building in Counselling Psychology 2 The Impulse Toward Eclecticism 4 My Bohartian History 6 Adlerian Psychotherapy as Structured Eclecticism 10 My Adlerian Roots 11 Beyond Adler: Robertsonian Meme Therapy 13 The Nature of Self 13 The Potential for Using Memes in Counselling 15 A Use of Meme Theory in Counselling a Suicidal Youth 17 Holistic, Dynamic and Integrative: Looking Forward in Our Profession 21 Summarizing the Foundational Principles of My Practice 21 Revisiting Holism 23 Future directions 25 Footnotes 27 Theory Building in Counselling Psychology An early text lamented, “A good theory is clear, comprehensive, explicit, parsimonious, and useful. We appear to have a paucity of good theories in psychology” (Stefflre & Matheny, 1968). Lent attempted to reduce this paucity by formulating his own theory: Wellness is intended to capture the notion of health as a dynamic state or process rather than a static endpoint; psychosocial wellness acknowledges the importance of both intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. The multiple aspects of wellness would include a) self-perceived (domain and/or global) satisfaction (hedonic well-being), b) domain/role satisfactoriness, c) presence of prosocial versus antisocial behavior, and d) low levels of psychologistical...

Words: 7788 - Pages: 32

Premium Essay

Christian Worldview Paper 1

...Christian Worldview Paper 1 April 6, 2013 Each one of us wants to be a self-sufficient self-starter in life. We realize that to avoid undue dependence on others we must have a platform of absolute truth, something unshakeable that provides a foundation when all things whirl and conspire about us. In our university careers, and later on in our professions, we find so many people who would counsel us to take this path or another path; and often that counsel is at variance with teachings we have learned in the Church. Theories of science are proposed that seem at variance with gospel principles. How, then, can we find for sure that which is true? I have found in my life two ways to find truth— both useful, provided we follow the path and the laws upon which they are predicated. First let us call the scientific method. That involves a group of facts and statistics, combined and analyzed, from which is distilled a theory or a postulate or what might be called a principle. Often the reverse is true: we advance a principle, then perform experiments to establish its validity. The scientific method is a sound and most valuable way of arriving at truth. There are two limitations, however, with that method. First: We never can be sure we have absolute truth, though we often draw nearer and nearer to it. Secondly: Sometimes, no matter how earnestly and sincerely we apply that principle, we come up with the wrong answer. The scientific method is a way of seeking...

Words: 2299 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Viewcontent

...Southern Cross University ePublications@SCU Theses 2004 The contribution of business/management education, to small enterprise solvency Peter Ellis Southern Cross University, PeterEllis@YSP.com.au Suggested Citation Ellis, P 2004, 'The contribution of business/management education, to small enterprise solvency', DBA thesis, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW. Copyright P Ellis 2004 For further information about this thesis Peter Ellis can be contacted at peterellis@ysp.com.au ePublications@SCU is an electronic repository administered by Southern Cross University Library. Its goal is to capture and preserve the intellectual output of Southern Cross University authors and researchers, and to increase visibility and impact through open access to researchers around the world. For further information please contact epubs@scu.edu.au. Southern Cross University Doctor of Business Administration The contribution of business/management education, to small enterprise solvency Peter Ellis Submitted to Graduate College of Management Southern Cross University, in partial fulfilment of the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration. 2004 Copyright “The contribution of business/management education, to small enterprise solvency.” Copyright © 2004 by Dr Peter Ellis, who reserves all rights and asserts his right under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. No part of this work may be used or reproduced...

Words: 96678 - Pages: 387

Free Essay

The Illusion of Leadership

...identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2008 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN-13: 978–0–230–20199–6 ISBN-10: 0–230–20199–7 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue...

Words: 68096 - Pages: 273

Premium Essay

Homework

...'Vhat'Ve Can't A Guide J. Budzisze wski WHAT WE CAN’T NOT KNOW J. BUDZISZEWSKI WHAT WE CAN’T NOT KNOW A Guide Revised and Expanded Edition IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO First edition published by Spence Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas ©2003 by J. Budziszewski All rights reserved Cover illustration: Comstock/Fotosearch.com Cover design by Sam Torode ©2004 Spence Publishing Company Used by permission Published in 2011 by Ignatius Press, San Francisco ©2003, 2011 J. Budziszewski All rights reserved ISBN 978-1-58617-481-1 Library of Congress Control Number 2010927673 Printed in the United States of America To my grandparents Julian and Janina Budziszewski, long departed, not forgotten The mind of man is the product of live Law; it thinks by law, it dwells in the midst of law, it gathers from law its growth; with law, therefore, can it alone work to any result. —George MacDonald CONTENTS PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION A New Phase of an Old Tradition ix PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION Whom This Book Is For xix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xxiii INTRODUCTION The Moral Common Ground 3 I THE LOST WORLD Things We Can’t Not Know 1 2 What It Is That We Can’t Not Know 3 Could We Get By Knowing Less? II EXPLAINING THE LOST WORLD 4 The First and Second Witnesses 5 The Third and Fourth Witnesses 6 Some Objections vii 19 29 54 83 93 116 viii WHAT WE CAN’T NOT KNOW III HOW THE LOST WORLD WAS LOST 7...

Words: 89540 - Pages: 359

Premium Essay

Philosophy and Design

...Netherlands Andrew Light University of Washington Seattle USA Peter Kroes Delft University of Technology Delft the Netherlands Steven A. Moore University of Texas Austin USA ISBN 978-1-4020-6590-3 e-ISBN 978-1-4020-6591-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2007937486 © 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Printed on acid-free paper. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 springer.com Contents List of Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Design in Engineering and Architecture: Towards an Integrated Philosophical Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Kroes, Andrew Light, Steven A. Moore, and Pieter E. Vermaas Part I Engineering Design ix 1 Design, Use, and the Physical and Intentional Aspects of Technical Artifacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maarten Franssen Designing is the Construction of Use Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wybo Houkes The Designer Fallacy and Technological Imagination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....

Words: 165744 - Pages: 663

Free Essay

Something for Nothing

...SOMETHING for NOTHING The Causes and Cures of All Our Problems and What You Can Do to Save the American Dream BRIAN TRACY Eagle House Publishing Corporation 2004 Eagle House Publishing Corporation 1117 Desert Lane, Suite 1228 Las Vegas, NV 89102 USA www.eaglehouse.biz eaglehousepc@hotmail.com Copyright © 2004 Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. First Eagle House Publishing Corporation electronic edition 2004 ISBN 0-976123-92-4 To my wonderful wife Barbara, who has encouraged me to write this book for twenty-five years. Without her continued inspiration, these ideas may never have been available to mankind. Contents Introduction. A Society in Crisis ..................................................1 Chapter One. Why We Do the Things We Do .............................7 Chapter Two. What We All Want ...............................................29 Chapter Three. Simple as ABC ...................................................45 Chapter Four. Character Reigns .................................................63 Chapter Five. The Current Dilemma ..........................................79 Chapter Six. Government, Politics and Power ............................93 Chapter Seven. The Foundationsof the American Dream .........116 Chapter Eight. Working For a Living .......................................126 Chapter Nine. Law, Order and Crime ......................................138 Chapter Ten. Welfare,Entitlements and Society ........................148 Chapter...

Words: 63862 - Pages: 256

Premium Essay

Critical Thinking

...fourth EDItION fourth EDItION This clear, learner-friendly text helps today’s students bridge the gap between Its comprehensiveness allows instructors to tailor the material to their individual teaching styles, resulting in an exceptionally versatile text. Highlights of the Fourth Edition: Additional readings and essays in a new Appendix as well as in Chapters 7 and 8 nearly double the number of readings available for critical analysis and classroom discussion. An online chapter, available on the instructor portion of the book’s Web site, addresses critical reading, a vital skill for success in college and beyond. Visit www.mhhe.com/bassham4e for a wealth of additional student and instructor resources. Bassham I Irwin Nardone I Wallace New and updated exercises and examples throughout the text allow students to practice and apply what they learn. MD DALIM #1062017 12/13/09 CYAN MAG YELO BLK Chapter 12 features an expanded and reorganized discussion of evaluating Internet sources. Critical Thinking thinking, using real-world examples and a proven step-by-step approach. A student ' s Introduction A student's Introduction everyday culture and critical thinking. It covers all the basics of critical Critical Thinking Ba ssha m I Irwin I Nardone I Wall ace CRITICAL THINKING A STUDENT’S INTRODUCTION FOURTH EDITION Gregory Bassham William Irwin Henry Nardone James M. Wallace King’s College TM bas07437_fm_i-xvi.indd i 11/24/09 9:53:56 AM TM Published by McGraw-Hill...

Words: 246535 - Pages: 987

Premium Essay

Marketing

...means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. This book is printed on acid-free paper. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 DOC/DOC 0 ISBN: 978-0-07-340743-2 MHID: 0-07-340743-7 Vice President, Editorial: Michael Ryan Director, Editorial: Beth Mejia Sponsoring Editor: Mark Georgiev Marketing Manager: Pam Cooper Managing Editor: Nicole Bridge Developmental Editor: Phil Butcher Project Manager: Lindsay Burt Manuscript Editor: Maura P. Brown Design Manager: Margarite Reynolds Cover Designer: Laurie Entringer Production Supervisor: Louis Swaim Composition: 11/12.5 Bembo by MPS Limited, A Macmillan Company Printing: 45# New Era Matte, R. R. Donnelley & Sons Cover Image: © Brand X/JupiterImages Credits: The credits section for this book begins on page C-1 and is considered an extension of the copyright page. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Critical thinking : a student’s introduction / Gregory Bassham . . . [et al.].—4th ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-07-340743-2 (alk. paper) 1. Critical thinking—Textbooks. I. Bassham, Gregory, 1959– B809.2.C745 2010 160—dc22 2009034761 The Internet addresses listed in the...

Words: 240232 - Pages: 961

Free Essay

La Singularidad

...NOTE: This PDF document has a handy set of “bookmarks” for it, which are accessible by pressing the Bookmarks tab on the left side of this window. ***************************************************** We are the last. The last generation to be unaugmented. The last generation to be intellectually alone. The last generation to be limited by our bodies. We are the first. The first generation to be augmented. The first generation to be intellectually together. The first generation to be limited only by our imaginations. We stand both before and after, balancing on the razor edge of the Event Horizon of the Singularity. That this sublime juxtapositional tautology has gone unnoticed until now is itself remarkable. We're so exquisitely privileged to be living in this time, to be born right on the precipice of the greatest paradigm shift in human history, the only thing that approaches the importance of that reality is finding like minds that realize the same, and being able to make some connection with them. If these books have influenced you the same way that they have us, we invite your contact at the email addresses listed below. Enjoy, Michael Beight, piman_314@yahoo.com Steven Reddell, cronyx@gmail.com Here are some new links that we’ve found interesting: KurzweilAI.net News articles, essays, and discussion on the latest topics in technology and accelerating intelligence. SingInst.org The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence: think tank devoted to increasing...

Words: 237133 - Pages: 949

Free Essay

Networks

...U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers. The author has made an online version of the book available under a Creative Commons Noncommercial Sharealike license; it can be accessed through the author’s website at http://www.benkler.org. Printed in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Benkler, Yochai. The wealth of networks : how social production transforms markets and freedom / Yochai Benkler. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-300-11056-2 (alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-300-11056-1 (alk. paper) 1. Information society. 2. Information networks. 3. Computer networks—Social aspects. 4. Computer networks—Economic aspects. I. Title. HM851.B457 2006 303.48'33—dc22 2005028316 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 STRANGE FRUIT By Lewis Allan _ 1939 (Renewed) by Music Sales Corporation (ASCAP) International copyright secured. All rights reserved. All rights outside the United States controlled by Edward B. Marks Music Company. Reprinted by permission. For Deb, Noam, and Ari “Human nature is not a machine to be built after a model, and set to do exactly the work prescribed for it, but a tree, which...

Words: 214717 - Pages: 859

Premium Essay

Serial Killer

...VOLUME EDITOR S. WALLER is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Montana State University Bozeman. Her areas of research are philosophy of neurology, philosophy of cognitive ethology (especially dolphins, wolves, and coyotes), and philosophy of mind, specifically the parts of the mind we disavow. SERIES EDITOR FRITZ ALLHOFF is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Western Michigan University, as well as a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics. In addition to editing the Philosophy for Everyone series, Allhoff is the volume editor or co-editor for several titles, including Wine & Philosophy (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007), Whiskey & Philosophy (with Marcus P. Adams, Wiley, 2009), and Food & Philosophy (with Dave Monroe,Wiley-Blackwell, 2007). P H I L O S O P H Y F O R E V E RYO N E Series editor: Fritz Allhoff Not so much a subject matter, philosophy is a way of thinking.Thinking not just about the Big Questions, but about little ones too.This series invites everyone to ponder things they care about, big or small, significant, serious … or just curious. Running & Philosophy: A Marathon for the Mind Edited by Michael W. Austin Wine & Philosophy: A Symposium on Thinking and Drinking Edited by Fritz Allhoff Food & Philosophy: Eat,Think and Be Merry Edited by Fritz Allhoff and Dave Monroe Beer & Philosophy: The Unexamined Beer Isn’t Worth Drinking Edited by Steven D. Hales Whiskey & Philosophy:...

Words: 90119 - Pages: 361

Premium Essay

Logical Reasoning

...updated: April 26, 2016 Logical Reasoning Bradley H. Dowden Philosophy Department California State University Sacramento Sacramento, CA 95819 USA ii iii Preface Copyright © 2011-14 by Bradley H. Dowden This book Logical Reasoning by Bradley H. Dowden is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. That is, you are free to share, copy, distribute, store, and transmit all or any part of the work under the following conditions: (1) Attribution You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author, namely by citing his name, the book title, and the relevant page numbers (but not in any way that suggests that the book Logical Reasoning or its author endorse you or your use of the work). (2) Noncommercial You may not use this work for commercial purposes (for example, by inserting passages into a book that is sold to students). (3) No Derivative Works You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work. An earlier version of the book was published by Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, California USA in 1993 with ISBN number 0-534-17688-7. When Wadsworth decided no longer to print the book, they returned their publishing rights to the original author, Bradley Dowden. The current version has been significantly revised. If you would like to suggest changes to the text, the author would appreciate your writing to him at dowden@csus.edu. iv Praise Comments on the earlier 1993 edition...

Words: 189930 - Pages: 760