Wow, look who's listed as an official tour stop: http://richarddawkins.net/GDcalendar

Click through for further details.

I have just one question for Prof. Dawkins, and it's one that, as far as I know, he hasn't heard too frequently:

The US appears to place a large amount of emphasis on the veracity of psychometric testing--John Maynard Smith called its most vocal proponents 'g junkies': What are your thoughts on psychometric testing in particular and biological determinism in general?

Thanks, guys. If you hadn't made a topic over at IIDB I would've never heard of you.

BCAB

Well, hey, what can you say when you get to meet one of your heroes in person. I always figured I'd get to talk to Dr. Dawkins at some point on our show, I never thought I'd get the chance to meet him in person and shake his hand.

I'm thrilled, to say the least. I'm also nervous. There's so much I've always wanted to ask him - how to narrow that down to a brief Q&A? There aren't many people who could "star strike" me - this is one.

Between Dawkins, Sagan and my high school chemistry teacher - they are responsible for getting me interested in science and biology and chemistry in particular.

I'm just thrilled, excited, happy.

This is the best piece of news I've heard in a while... I'm excited!

Mr. Dawkins, in your work which is aimed at religion, you state how you'd like to remove religion from this world. A goal, which I am confident, a numerous amount of we, atheists, also share.

We have many reasons for this. The religious who insist on ID being taught in schools, the exploitation of the child's vulnerable mind, the 'morals' which do not allow homosexual marriage, stem cell research, and abortion. The list goes on...

I'd be very interested if you could propose ways in which, we could remove religion.

We can all give reasons as to why, we want religion to be removed, though just as importantly, how could we do so?

I am aware that you, and many of us, wish to educate the public. Though, the already devout religious would seem not to be swayed by rational. And those who are uninterested in this truth, I doubt would pick up your fine work, and for ever remain theist

A landmark for the RRS! Congratulations guys! I will tune in.

LMAO, was that you with the "REPENT OR BURN" comments?

If so, you were banned by SilkyShrew, and it was because you were told three times in a row to stop using caps lock or you would be kicked, and you ignored the warning three times in a row.

For the record, RRS doesn't control that chatroom, it's a much larger network of atheists that are involved.

Please present your best three questions for Dawkins here, and I'll show the boys, we'll consider asking one.

No, however here are a few points you should know:

1. If you're actually interested in asking Dawkins a question, submit it now, it's likely we wont be able to address questions in the chatroom on the fly.

2. That room "Stickam" may get server overload from the event and end up shutting down.

3. The room you got kicked from "Chat Room" link up top, will likely ALSO be in use for the show.

4. If you spam the room, you'll get kicked, however I have seen NOTHING out of you so far that would warrant a kick in one of my rooms. We'd disagree, but at least you seem to try and have a dialogue based on what you believe to be true, and you aren't a jerk about it. I've seen some guys cut and paste messages in caps and just keep entering the same message over and over nonstop.

I might have to buy a copy of this one guys

As for questions I really need to think about it. I really don't want to ask him questions he has already gotten. When where you guys going to go through the questions? I'll try to get them in before then.

We'll make this one free. Thanks to the people who do pay though, we are able to do this and not be bothered by the lost revenue.

Like now.

Dearest Prof. Dawkins,
I love your work and your presence on the planet. You rule!! So anyway, the question that has been on my mind lately is: how could I go about starting some kind of freethinking group here in this small town in Oregon? I don't know of any other atheists in my town but that's probably because they don't unite like Christians. I feel like there is only one voice that is heard around here-the Bush/Religious Right supporters. This is small town and we have 6 churches in a 7 mile radius. There's even a drive-thru for prayer. I am scared to speak out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and most likely heeded. Many thanks, Lori Frank

You look scary

Alright here are a few that might be interesting to the convo. Take them as you will I really don't have many pressing questions for the man.

Light Questions:

Do you like long walks on the beach? (yes this is a joke please laugh)

Any funny experiences on your book tour so far?

Normal Questions:

Why do you think theist try to use the same arguments over and over again?

What would you say is the biggest danger of religion?

Do you think you'll have to write your own "Letter to a Christian Nation"?

How big of an impact do you think your book will have?

Have any future plans for books or movies you could tell us a bit about?

How have your friends reacted to your atheism?

Where would you draw the line in activism?

“Sit of Heat” Questions:

How big is the danger of us Atheists becoming hypocritical? Of course this would depend on each atheist, what they are saying, and what they are claiming because there is really only one thing we all agree on and people even disagree on the degrees of that.

What would you say is the best argument for god and where is the hole in their logic?

Thanks Sapient, good luck with the show.

Insidium, debating with you gets nowhere, fast.

I want to see what Dawkins has to say about this.

Honestly those questions are almost classic in this debate. I would answer them, but this isn't the place for it. Also Dawkins may have already answerd such questions in one of his writtings or films.

Also, the ones ive seen between apes and humans only displayed the skulls. Where are the rest of the body?

Also evolutionists claim that Australopithecus are the most primitive ancestors of modern men. Having conducted detailed anatomical research on Australopithecus fossils in the mid-1970s, Charles E. Oxnard likened the skeletal structure of Australopithecus to that of modern orang-utans:

An important part of today's conventional wisdom about human evolution is based on studies of teeth, jaws and skull fragments of australopithecine fossils. These all indicate that the close relation of the australopithecine to the human lineage may not be true. All these fossils are different from gorillas, chimpanzees and men. Studied as a group, the australopithecine seems more like the orang-utan.

Charles E. Oxnard, The Place of Australopithecines in Human Evolution: Grounds for Doubt, Nature, No. 258, p. 389.

Not to mention some of the forgeries we have already encountered.

Also, Don't ask the question if you feel it stupid, ask the most difficult one so you can get a good perspective.

yes that is an interesting one to ask.

In some form we've covered all of em although I'm not sure if they made it into shows.

Here is the question list as it stands before my partners get a hold of it:

How far off base if at all do you think we are equating theistic belief with a mind disorder?

Can theism ever be rational? For example one might argue that you can arrive at theism through the faculty of reason (albeit faulty reason) which they would define as rational.

If there was, hypothetically, a button you could press which would suddenly stop all people from believing in the God Delusion, and wake them up instantly, would you press it? – Nick Poling

What is the scientific approach or view to the origin of the first living organism and how it came about from no life? – Almahamah (muslim member)

What would you say is the biggest danger of religion? – Voiderest

Oh jeez, please don't be.

I'm glad you asked your question. Please understand we have such a limited time with Dawkins and we want to make a show that theists can download and hear reasons as to why they shouldn't believe, and yet at the same time is informative as to our positions (ie is theism rational) and that has educational value. We'll try to cover some basic evolutionary science as well which is where Mike will be working to contrive the best questions.

We've decided based on this thread to go back and compile long lists of questions that have been asked of guests but that never got asked on shows, and will look to be answering those questions ourselves. Considering our expertise in establishing atheistic groups, I actually think we're more qualified to answer the question than Professor Dawkins. We intend on answering your question in one of these "RRS answers your questions" episodes.

I'm still getting used to the whole asking questions in which you know the answers to routine.

Voiderest, I never heard of a Meet-up site before. I'll try to check it out. Thanks.
And thanks to Sapient for the thoughtful response. I do appreciate that. I was only sorry and embarrassed because I don't want to waste anyone's time. Thanks again for everything. I will definetly be tuned in to this show.

Just got my copy of the god delusion from amazon.com My question for mr. Dawkins: What do you think is the future of atheism and rational thinking? Atheism rates seem to be on the rise in developed countries (mostly Europe and Japan), yet declining in Asia and other parts of the world. With the current political turmoil, one can only wonder what the outcome will be. Will humans succumb to mindless faith or enlighten their lives with reason? I'm (mildly) optimistic!

I'd like to ask Professor Dawkins what mechanism he thinks controls his "anti-chance process" if interpretations of scientists like Paul Davies' are correct?

In this case, isn't natural selection guided by the practicality of environmental enablement and constraint, per the weak anthropic principle, which restricts the physics to require gradual uphill slopes, "sites" where life can arrise and evolve"?

I didn't ask for reasons not to believe phyisicsts, like Davies, I'd like his opinion on exactly where the link between evolutionary theory and the forces of nature would be, if Davies is right about purpose in nature, without god?

Hi everyone,

You talked on the show about the tree of knowledge (tok). Do you have more info on the project (web site)? Or a least the list of books which are planned to be hanged on the tree?

Thanks!

It's a pitty I can't find anything on the subject on their web site. Maybe I'll send them an e-mail.

I'll be whatching you .