What is it about Darwin's idea that is so dangerous? - An interview with Daniel Dennett at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
You've described the design of natural selection as "brilliant" but "mindless." Can you explain? - An interview with Daniel Dennett at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
How do you explain evolution to skeptics? How can you convince them? Can you? - An interview with Daniel Dennett at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
You said earlier that you think secular institutions are failing us? Do you include museums? - An interview with Daniel Dennett at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
In discussing your book, Breaking the Spell, you've said that part of what the book does is to "reveal how the magicians do their tricks" when it comes to organized religion. Can you elaborate? - An interview with Daniel Dennett at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
You've talked about teaching a course on World Religions in public schools. What do you think that would accomplish? - An interview with Daniel Dennett at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
You've written that the human sense of right and wrong has evolved. If we have a moral instinct, why did it evolve? What are the advantages? - An interview with Marc Hauser at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
Let's talk about your book Galileo's Finger. Can you tell me about the title and what it represents? - An interview with Peter Atkins at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
You've written that "natural selection is essentially unpredictable because it is the outcome of sometimes competing tendencies and adaptations that at first sight may be advantageous remain unachievable." Can you explain? But natural selection is imperfect. You wrote about the appendix? - An interview with Peter Atkins at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
So the ramifications here are enormous, for parenting, school, religion. Isn't that where most people think they get their sense of right and wrong from? - An interview with Marc Hauser at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
In your book Galileo's Finger, I was suprised to find a list of arguments against creationism. If creationism isn't science why bother addressing it at all? - An interview with Peter Atkins at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
If our moral instinct, and guilt along with it, are inherited, do you foresee a way in the future to pinpoint that this gene does this, or this gene does that? - An interview with Marc Hauser at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
Are we still evolving? If so, is our moral instinct evolving as well? - An interview with Marc Hauser at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
Some think we're not evolving anymore, that natural selection requires isolation. You don't share that view? - An interview with Marc Hauser at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.
Beyond the intellectual aspects, are there more tangible dangers in having a large segment of the population that doesn't accept evolution? What do we do about it? - An interview with Peter Atkins at the Future of Science Conference in Venice, Italy September 2006.