What Richard Dawkins thinks about agency
Evolutionary biologist and author; writes The Poetry of Reality newsletter on Substack.
Richard Dawkins did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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Only Richard Dawkins on agency. See everyone on agency
3 dated positions, c. 1976–1989 to 2025, in their own words. Our reading of what Richard Dawkins has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Our readingBelief is not something a person can choose
Their wordsI don’t think believing is something you can choose to do.
↗But is it true? (Let’s hear it for reality)richarddawkins.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsWe are built as gene machines and cultured as meme machines, but we have the power to turn against our creators.
↗The Selfish Gene (Oxford University Press, 40th anniversary edition, 2016; first published 1976, second edition 1989)archive.org All 9 from this book
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Their wordsWe, alone on earth, can rebel against the tyranny of the selfish replicators.
↗The Selfish Gene (Oxford University Press, 40th anniversary edition, 2016; first published 1976, second edition 1989)archive.org All 9 from this book