Last Updated on 6 August 2026

Quotes from Richard Dawkins (1941-)

• By all means let’s be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.
• Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.
• Doubt is not a weakness; it is the foundation of intellectual integrity.
• An educated mind is one that explores the unknown, not one that accepts dogma unquestioningly.
• The essence of critical thinking is the willingness to question everything, especially our own beliefs.
• The essence of the scientific method is to accept the possibility that you could be wrong, and test your theories with the evidence.
• Ethics, compassion, and reason should guide us in building a fairer world.
• The greatest asset of a rational mind is the readiness to discard cherished beliefs when they no longer fit reality.
• Humanity must learn to respect one another, not because of divine command but out of mutual compassion and understanding.
• I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.
• If something is true, no amount of wishful thinking will change it.
• Ignorance is not a virtue. Understanding the world and seeking knowledge should be a goal for everyone.
• It is not faith that makes good science, but rather doubt, curiosity, and a relentless search for evidence.
• It’s not about having the answers, but asking the right questions.
• It’s not the scientist’s job to tell you what to think but to provide you with the tools to figure it out.
• It’s vital that we teach people how to think, not what to think.
• Knowledge is a process of continuous refinement. It is not a single triumph, but an endless pursuit.
• Let us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish.
• Morality in the absence of belief in God isn’t just possible; it’s better.
• The more we learn, the more we realize how much we still have to discover. That’s the beauty of curiosity.
• Mysteries do not lose their poetry when solved. Quite the contrary.
• One of the truly bad effects of religion is that it teaches us that it is a virtue to be satisfied with not understanding.
• Open-mindedness means having the courage to change your mind when the evidence tells you to.
• Progress comes not from clinging to old beliefs but from challenging them with new evidence.
• The purpose of morality is to enhance the well-being of others, not to earn a place in heaven.
• Reason and evidence are the most powerful tools we have to understand the world and make it a better place.
• Science doesn’t care what you believe. It’s true whether you believe in it or not.
• Science is the best tool we have for understanding the world around us.
• Science seeks the truth. And it does not allow itself to be hindered by religious dogmas or superstitions.
• Skepticism is a gift to humanity. Seeking evidence and using critical thinking helps us discover the lies and falsehoods behind the beliefs powering all of human suffering.
• Teaching children to evaluate evidence and think critically is a gift that will last a lifetime.
• There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point.
• To be a good person, you don’t need religion; you need empathy, reason, and concern for others.
• We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
• We are made of the stuff of stars, and that is a fact more magnificent than any fable.
• We should always be prepared to adjust our beliefs in the light of new evidence. This is the true spirit of science.
• When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion, it is called religion.
• You can’t reason someone out of a position they didn’t reason themselves into.