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Jeremy1952:: Of course attendance is better when we have guests
Chris OConnor:: Hello people
tarav:: Richard- we've been discussing your books
Meme Wars joined
Richard Dawkins:: So you all know each other., Do you all live in the same place?
NaddiaAoC:: Hi Chris!
Chris OConnor:: Good morning
Jeremy1952:: Oh no, all over the world
NaddiaAoC:: Hi Meme!
conanlee left
tarav:: no, not in the same place
Chris OConnor:: Well, good afternoon to Professor Dawkins
Jeremy1952:: oops, I hope conanlee isn't having computer problems, he's in China
Richard Dawkins:: Good afternoon
Meme Wars:: Yo!
Jeremy1952:: Probably our farthest away member
conanlee joined
Richard Dawkins:: Otherwise all American?
Chris OConnor:: Yes, we are all now. Conan is in China...no idea what time zone that would be.
tarav:: no
Jeremy1952:: I don't know, are we?
conanlee:: sorry, something wrong with my computer...
conanlee:: I'm in China
tarav:: i don't think so
Chris OConnor:: We have a "Guest Map" on our home page with a graphical representation of where we all live
Jeremy1952:: In "religion 1" chat room we get a lot of Australians, new Zealander, and brits of course
Chris OConnor:: www.booktalk.org
Richard Dawkins:: I have never been in a chat room before
Meme Wars:: conanlee Chinese Science Writer for National newspaper.
tarav:: this is only my 3rd time in a chat
Jeremy1952:: I think we'll list you as an African, Dr. Dawkins, just to make ourselves look good
Richard Dawkins:: We are all Africans
Chris OConnor:: Professor Dawkins - mind if we type "RD:" to address you? That makes it faster
Richard Dawkins:: That's fine
Jeremy1952:: Lol, good point!
tarav:: i joined booktalk after reading Selfish Gene
Richard Dawkins:: Good
Chris OConnor:: RD: You seem to type fast so chat rooms will be simple for you
tarav:: i wanted to talk about it
Meme Wars:: Selfish Gene is a classic!
Richard Dawkins:: Do you always discuss books?
Chris OConnor:: We discuss one nonfiction text every 2-months
Jeremy1952:: Speaking of selfish genes.... you've stated a couple of times that "Extended Phenotype" is your magnum opus, do
Jeremy1952:: you still feel that way?
Meme Wars:: Yes, mostly book on the Humanist bent.
Chris OConnor:: But we have forums for discussing other subjects
Richard Dawkins:: Well, I have written three other books since then
tarav:: we have a poetry thread
Chris OConnor:: I must read "A Devils Chaplain"
Richard Dawkins:: I think now I might give Climbing Mount Improbable as equal favourite
Meme Wars:: Yes, and I believe I have them all.
Jeremy1952:: I've tried to convince this crowd to skip selfish gene and go right to "phenotype" but no takers!
Richard Dawkins:: Yes, Jeremy I might agree with that
Chris OConnor:: You gave a very powerful talk at the conference about "A Devils Chaplain"
conanlee:: I first read Selfish Gene, next is Blind watchmaker
Richard Dawkins:: A Devil's Chaplain will appear in USA this autumn. It is published in Britain already
Richard Dawkins:: Conanlee, are you actually Chinese?
Meme Wars:: Selfish Gene, Extended Phenotype, The Blind Watchmaker, River out of Eden, Climbing Mount Improbable, and Unweaving the Rainbow. Am I missing any?
conanlee:: when will it appear in China?
Chris OConnor:: I'm really excited about that book
ZombieHatesYou joined
conanlee:: Yes, I am Chinese
Chris OConnor:: Hello Zombie
Jeremy1952:: I don't feel I personally got much from "mount improbable"; I'm glad I read it because I recommend it to people who want
ZombieHatesYou:: Okay, I am back.
ZombieHatesYou:: Hi Chris
arcAngle joined
Chris OConnor:: Hey Arc!
ZombieHatesYou:: Helping my friend in...one sec
Jeremy1952:: a short introduction to evolution
arcAngle:: Hello!
arcAngle:: Sorry to be late. Was catching up on the discussion.
Richard Dawkins:: So how do you want to proceed?
Chris OConnor:: I have no idea how many people to expect today
Jeremy1952:: I've read "Devils Chaplain", Dr. Dawkins; thanks to Amazon.co.uk, I have no trouble getting British publications
Richard Dawkins:: The US publishers won't like that. But I do
Chris OConnor:: Well, we usually just chat....no real format. People can simply ask questions and you answer however you like
Meme Wars:: So is "A Devil's Chaplin" your newest book? See my question above. Do I have all your Books?
Jeremy1952:: I almost wrote to thank you for sharing so much of your personal self in that book, so I'll do it now!
tarav:: or you can ask questions
Richard Dawkins:: Yes, A D C is my latest book
Jeremy1952:: Thanks!
Chris OConnor:: RD: I'm always nervous that the author/scientist will not know how to type...but we obviously don't have that issue now
Richard Dawkins:: It is what I do for a living, typing
conanlee::
Jeremy1952:: Lol, good point.
Jeremy1952:: Do you know the first book ever written on a typewriter?
Richard Dawkins:: Soon maybe I'll learn how to make those faces
Chris OConnor:: I don't Jeremy
tarav:: do some authors not know how to type?
ZombieHatesYou:: What authors can't type, Chris?
ZombieHatesYou:: Silly man.
Richard Dawkins:: Some write with a quill pen. Some dictate, and sound very longwinded
Jeremy1952:: One could dictate; my wife does all her book-writing longhand, even though she's an excellent typist
tarav:: lol
ZombieHatesYou:: Chris: Oh, no fun.
ZombieHatesYou:: I type with the speed of ten thousand cheetahs, or something.
Chris OConnor:: haha
Meme Wars:: Mr. Dawkins, could you share with us a summary on your newest book, A D C?
Jeremy1952:: And at least one important author uses a rod in his teeth
Richard Dawkins:: A Devil's Chaplain is a collection of writings, essays, journalism, obituaries, book reviews etc
Richard Dawkins:: Arranged into sections
Chris OConnor:: RD: Chatting is fun in that you can interact with people from all over the world. There are all sorts of shorthand codes you have to learn such as "LOL" which means Laughing Out Loud
Jeremy1952:: The thing about the funny faces is, they are automatic: so sometimes they pop up when you don't mean them too
Jeremy1952:: to
Richard Dawkins:: Some polemical, some sad, some happy, some scientific
Chris OConnor:: Meme - excellent - I would like that too
Meme Wars:: Is there a theme to "A D C"?
Chris OConnor:: Professor Dawkins read some excerpts from "A Devils Chaplain" and it sounds incredible
Richard Dawkins:: No one theme. About six or seven themes, arranged into six or seven sections
Genryu joined
Jeremy1952:: Who chose the title? Yourself, or the editor?
ZombieHatesYou:: Genryu
Richard Dawkins:: Much of it is already published, but only in Britain
Richard Dawkins:: I chose the title. It is a quotation from Darwin
ZombieHatesYou:: Chris: This is Genryu, whom I told you I would bring.
Chris OConnor:: Hello Genryu
Genryu:: Hi all, Zombie
Jeremy1952:: Ah, I remember now, you mention in the book.
Chris OConnor:: Zombie - ok
ZombieHatesYou::
Genryu:: Sorry to interrupt
arcAngle:: Prof. Dawkins, I simply want to say thank you. I have so enjoyed reading your thoughts in your books and articles.. Again, thank you.
Meme Wars:: I see there is a waiting list on Amazon . com for that book.
conanlee:: some from newspaper column ?
arcAngle:: I'll stop gushing now.
Chris OConnor:: For ADC? I better get on the list
Meme Wars:: In what context did Darwin use that phrase?
Richard Dawkins:: Thank you arcAngle. By the way why do you all have such funny names?
tarav:: me too
ZombieHatesYou:: My name is funny? :O
tarav:: you can just call me Tara
conanlee:: just like..open letter to prince Charles?
Chris OConnor:: RD: Have you seen the Chinese cover of "Unweaving?" Conan posted a picture of it on the forums.
ZombieHatesYou:: I never noticed. *sniffs*
Richard Dawkins:: What a book a Devil's Chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering low and horridly cruel works of nature
Meme Wars:: I chose Meme Wars out of seriousness.
arcAngle:: When you join a service such as this for message boards or chat, real names are the first thing to go.
Jeremy1952:: Darwin talked about his dog in "Origin"; scientists have gotten so stuffy since then (present company excluded, of course};
conanlee:: it's here
conanlee:: a5.cpimg.com/image/27/5C/...90200-.jpg
Richard Dawkins:: Darwin said that, my hero Darwin, one of the greatest thinkers of all time
arcAngle:: So you're left with trying to find a unique identifier. Hence the funny names.
Meme Wars:: I believe there is a battle of religions and ideas and we are running out of time to wake up to the destruction of Earth's ecosystem and coming energy crisis.
conanlee:: the Chinese version of U R
Richard Dawkins:: Thanks for showing me the Chinese cover of Unweaving. I have never seen it before
Jeremy1952:: I use my real name in chat, just because I'm not bright enough to keep track of an alias
tarav:: me too
Jeremy1952:: Also I heard stories of old men pretending to be kids, so I put my birth date right up front
Chris OConnor:: RD: Many of us are very much laymen when it comes to evolution (me!) and never know how exactly to address critics (creationists) when they bring up the lack of a complete fossil record. Any quick responses to these people?
tarav:: Jeremy- too funny
Jeremy1952:: ty tarav
Richard Dawkins:: It is grossly misleading to say there is an incomplete fossil record
Chris OConnor:: RD:
Chris OConnor:: woops
Richard Dawkins:: We are lucky to have fossils at all
arcAngle:: My name is always gone, normally I use hypotenuse, but here it was taken as well.
Richard Dawkins:: Even without a single solitary fossil, the evidence for evolution would be utterly overwhelming
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Chris OConnor:: RD: From what I understand there is....ahhh...exactly what you said. Fossilization is a rare process as it is
Jeremy1952:: Ah c'mon, Dr. D, we all know god put them there to fool people
Chris OConnor:: Hey Cinnamon!
cinnamon321:: Hi everyone.
Jeremy1952:: Hi cinnamon!
ZombieHatesYou:: Satan put those dinosaur bones there, Jer. Get with the program.
Richard Dawkins:: But as it is, we have lots of fossils, and they very convincingly indeed demonstrate that evolution is a fact
Jeremy1952:: Lol
Jeremy1952:: Thanks, Dr. D. And I hope you know I'm kidding!
Genryu:: isn't the problem though RD that it suits opponents of Evolution to be to say the least selective and reasoning with them is not really possible on those terms?
Richard Dawkins:: There are gaps in the fossil record. but not a single solitary fossil has ever turned up in the WRONG place
Richard Dawkins:: J B S Haldane once said that it would only take one fossil rabbit in the Precambrian to disprove evolution utterly
Chris OConnor:: RD: I see. And are gaps ever being filled in with new discoveries?
Meme Wars:: Unfortunately (pardon the pun), there will always be gaps in the fossil record, in-between any two we find!
Jeremy1952:: (How is that a pun)?
Richard Dawkins:: Quite right Meme Wars, and they play on that
tarav:: they are silly
Chris OConnor:: Meme - good point
