The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
Richard Dawkins: Growing Up in the Universe
The world-famous evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins presents the 1991 CHRISTMAS LECTURES on "our own growing knowledge of how life grows up in the universe". Combining beautiful writing with a range of illuminating demonstrations, the series features a variety of wildlife, a virtual reality Lecture Theatre, and special guests - including the late Douglas Adams reading an excerpt from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Where to Watch The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures • Richard Dawkins: Growing Up in the Universe
5 Episodes
- Waking Up in the UniverseE1
Waking Up in the UniverseProfessor Richard Dawkins discusses the amazing capabilities of the human body and contrasts these with the limited capabilities of computers and other man-made machines. He uses a small totem pole (which is used in ancestor worship) to illustrate the importance of studying our ancestors to understand how we've evolved. - Designed and Designoid ObjectsE2
Designed and Designoid ObjectsDawkins' second lecture of the series examines the problem of design. He presents the audience with a number of simple objects, such as rocks and crystals, and notes that these objects have been formed by simple laws of physics and are therefore not designed. He then examines some designed objects - including a microscope, an electronic calculator, a pocket watch, and a clay pot - and notes that none of these objects could have possibly come about by sheer luck. - Climbing Mount ImprobableE3
Climbing Mount ImprobableProfessor Richard Dawkins starts the lecture coming in with a stick insect on his hand. He describes with how much details such a being imitates its environment, its almost like a key that fits a lock. He then shows another insect, namely a Leaf Insect, which basically looks exactly like a dead leaf. - The Ultraviolet GardenE4
The Ultraviolet GardenDawkins begins by relating the story of asking a little girl "what she thought flowers were 'for'." Her response is anthropocentric, that flowers are there for our benefit. Dawkins points out that many people throughout history have thought that the natural world existed for our benefit, with examples from Genesis and other literature. - The Genesis of PurposeE5
The Genesis of PurposeProfessor Richard Dawkins opens by talking how organisms “grow up” to understand the universe around them, which requires certain apparatus, such as a brain. But before brains can become large enough to model the universe they must develop from intermediate forms.