Richard Dawkins On Genes, Memes, AI, Religion, and Life Beyond Earth [Ep. 454]

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Brian Keating

Science, Physics, Natural Sciences

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 18 August 2024

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why are men's sex drives so strong? Can genetic information be destroyed? And why does the desert lizard have such intricate patterns? I had the extraordinary privilege of exploring these topics with Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s most influential and thought-provoking scientists! Dawkins is a renowned evolutionary biologist, zoologist, and author. He is also a prominent figure in New Atheism alongside Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens and is well known for his criticisms of creationism and intelligent design. In our wide-ranging conversation, we explored the evolution of sex drive and aesthetic appreciation, genetics, the intersection of theoretical and experimental science, the potential of artificial intelligence, and more. Tune in! — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 01:56 Why is the sex drive in men so strong? 04:44 DNA, origin of life and panspermia 10:28 Is there life elsewhere in the universe? 14:58 Memes and their evolution 21:13 Homage to Daniel Dennett 23:20 Natural selection and evolution 26:59 The threats and opportunities of AI 31:05 A shifting moral zeitgeist 35:15 Science communication 43:02 Audience questions 47:01 Technology, magic, and time capsules 56:22 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Richard Dawkins: ✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/RichardDawkins/ 💻 Website: https://richarddawkinstour.com/ — ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	40% of the American people believe literally in Adam and Eve, believe literally that the world is only 6,000 years old.
0:09.2	I mean that's a shocking figure and you can't duck out of it.
0:13.0	Imagine being able to decipher the history of every creature ever to have lived on Earth
0:17.8	based on its evolution.
0:19.3	Why are men's sect drives so powerful?
0:22.9	Why does this peculiar desert lizard have such intricate patterns on its back?
0:27.0	And what does it tell you about its long dead relatives?
0:30.2	Today we have the extraordinary privilege of exploring these topics and more with one of our greatest living treasures, Richard Dawkins, one of the world's most influential and thought-provoking scientists.
0:41.0	Jeans are predicting the future because... scientists. zoologist, zoologist, and author, a prominent figure in the new atheism along the other so-called
0:56.0	horseman of the apocalypse, Pasguess Sam Harris and the late great Daniel Dennett.
1:01.4	He's well-known criticism of creationism and intelligent design.
1:04.5	You can't opt out of science because it goes against a traditional faith.
1:10.4	In our widely ranging conversation we explore the evolution of sex drive and the aesthetic appreciation of genetics as well as the way genetics intersect in theoretical and experimental science.
1:21.0	We talk about the potential evolutionary outcomes of artificial intelligence as it augments
1:26.4	humanity.
1:27.4	We talk about what it's like to be a scientist and a scholar with a career ranging over 50 years.
1:33.0	And we encounter along our journey some of the greatest figures in all of science.
1:38.0	I know you're going to love this episode, so let's go. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
1:52.0	Open the pod bay door. is indistinguishable from magic.
1:56.0	Open the pod bay doors, how? Richard, I've always wanted to ask you, why is the sex drive in men so strong?
2:02.0	I mean, surely we could have gone through the replication of a
2:04.8	species if it were 10% less powerful maybe even 25% less powerful. I mean what
	...

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