The Unbelievers Page #2

and I know rather

little else about him,

I'm afraid.

And he is sometimes talked about

as a possible candidate

for pope.

I have always refused to debate

religious fundamentalists.

It is my understanding

that a cardinal of

the Roman catholic church

is not a fundamentalist.

If he is, I've made a mistake.

We're very excited to have these

two gentlemen here this evening

for this discussion.

We know them already.

Please let us introduce

them properly

and make them feel very welcome.

Please help me welcome

the author of the God delusion,

the evolutionary biologist

Richard Dawkins.

...the archbishop of Sydney,

please welcome

cardinal George pell.

Five, four, three...

George pell,

do you accept that

humans evolved from apes?

Yeah, probably.

From neanderthals, yes.

From neanderthals?

Probably.

Why from neanderthals?

Who else would you suggest?

Neanderthals were our cousins.

We're not descended from them.

These extant cousins?

Where would I find

a neanderthal today

if they're my cousins?

They're not extant.

They're extinct.

That's my point.

Your point is that

because they're not...

That because they're extant,

they can't be our cousins?

I'm really am not much fussed.

That's very clear.

Ignoring the limitations

of science

also leads to sloppy

and arbitrary science.

A good example is the field

of quantum mechanics.

The evidence of logic

derives from the evidence

of reality.

Is it logical that I can be

in two places at once? No.

But if I am an electron,

I certainly can be.

Because while you refer

to quantum mechanics,

I actually understand it.

Most evolutionary

biologists today

don't believe that.

Don't believe what?

They don't believe in

this crude fundamentalist

version of random selection

that you propose.

I do not propose it,

and I strongly deny

that evolution is

random selection.

This idea that we should

challenge our beliefs,

I agree in some areas,

and this is the point

I tried to touch upon

the difference between

science and religion...

Only when you appreciate

the difference can you

ascertain whether

different propositions

apply or not.

Anything about higher truth,

morality, for example,

do you want me to challenge

my belief every day

that murder is wrong?

Well, if any of you

stopped believing in God,

I would ask you,

would you go out tomorrow

and murder your neighbor?

Well, some of you say yes.

Evolution is

non-random selection.

Oh, there's a purpose

to it, is there?

No.

But...

Could you explain

what "non-random" means?

Yes, of course I could.

That's my life's work.

No idea should be

above ridicule.

Ridicule is a very

important tool.

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