Quotes About Author

The teachings of 'moderate' religion, though not extremist in themselves, are an open invitation to extremism.

The notion that religion is a proper field, in which one might claim expertise, is one that should not go unquestioned.

to ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner, confessedly unworthy'.

Active replicators have some effect on the world, which influences their chances of surviving.

Hijacking by pseudoscience and bad science fiction is a threat to our legitimate sense of wonder.

No doubt this works well enough for The Tale of Benjamin Bunny or The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, but I can readily see that 'The Selfish Gene' on its own, without the large footnote of the book itself, might give an inadequate impression of its contents.

science cannot even make probability judgements on

Religion has at one time or another been thought to fill four main roles in human life: explanation, exhortation, consolation and inspiration.

David Deutsch, in The Fabric of Reality, embraces the 'many worlds' interpretation of quantum theory

A human foetus, with no more human feeling than an amoeba, enjoys a reverence and legal protection far in excess of those granted to an adult chimpanzee. Yet

Religion enjoys astonishing privileges in our societies, privileges denied to almost any other special interest group one can think of-and certainly denied to individuals

Like most scientists, I am not a dualist, but I am nevertheless easily capable of enjoying Vice Versa and Laughing Gas.

non-existent male? I suppose that, in the ditzily

I have yet to see any good reason to suppose that theology (as opposed to biblical history, literature, etc.) is a subject at all.

Indeed, I rather hope that I shall be dead when you do. Don't misunderstand me. I love life and hope to go on for a long time yet, but any author wants his works to reach the largest possible readership.

Premature erection of alleged philosophical problems is sometimes a smokescreen for mischief.

My reverie jumps me into the middle of the period and I conjure the giant, unforgettable figure of Douglas Adams, sadly absent from the feast.

Memory's only like justice, because it is another wrong idea that makes people feel right.

for a moment he wondered:what if this had all been a mask for the most terrible evil? The idea was too horrific to hold on to.

People kept on longing for meaning and hope, but the annals of the past are a muddy story of chaos only.

Philopon helps me through this fever, Nakamura said, feeling

Being prisoner great shame. Great! Redeem honour building railway for Emperor. Great honour. Great!

Nature doesn't rhyme her children,' I said, happy to remember the line of Emerson's

Then somebody said—Carter Knott—that Eddie was writing a novel (the last outpost for a certain species of doomed optimist).