Richard Dawkins
R4 DVD
Siren Visual
The
Genius of Charles Darwin is Richard Dawkins’ tour de force offering a whistle
stop tour of Darwinism. It is expressed in easy to understand language and makes
a complex and difficult subject comprehensible and entertaining. The series
opens with Dawkins attempting to discuss evolution with a class of high school
students, each with their own personal religious and superstitious ideas; at
first he seems to make little headway as they are unable to grasp even
rudimentary critical thinking. However, when he shows them physical proof of
fossils by taking them to a beach which they can find them for themselves, they
start to consider the hard proof that modern science offers. Dawkins then
proceeds to offer an exhilarating outline of evolutionary science, interspersed
with details about Charles Darwin’s life and how he made his most significant
discoveries. What is impressive about
this episode is that he doesn’t “dumb the subject down” but covers the
complexity of evolution including natural selection and genetics, in extensive
detail but at the same time in a way that can be easily understood. This is
quite some achievement!
In
part two Dawkins explores the “Dark Side of Darwinism” and this is a truly
challenging and informative episode. Dawkins does not avoid the difficult
issues related to Darwinism including the concept of survival of the fittest,
might is right, Social Darwinism and how altruism and compassion develops
within a Darwinian universe. In my mind this is one of the most informative
documentaries I have ever seen on this subject. While there have been many
documentaries on the theory of evolution, this is one of the first to face the
moral and ethical ramifications of the evolutionary model head-on and offer a
comprehensive critique of those who twist evolution to create a vicious form of
“Social Darwinist” might is right
worldview. We also get an excellent overview of the genetics of evolution and
the concept of the “Selfish Gene”.
In
the third episode Dawkins faces off against the world of religion and
superstition, as a proudly avowed atheist, he makes it clear that evolutionary
theory is not only undeniable fact (with as much evidence as gravity or the
roundness of the earth) but that it pervasively does away with the need not
only for god but for any supernatural agency. He also confronts the distortions
of scientific fact used by creationists and the proponents of so-called
Intelligent Design. Dawkins explores the danger of brainwashing children with
religious superstitions and takes aim at an educational system which in some
sort of post modern relativism feels the need to make excuses for not
aggressively teaching the scientific method and allowing religious beliefs to
be seen as valid “ways of knowing”.
This
is an impressive series, offering an erudite summary of evolution, witty and
sharp observations about modern life, ethics and morality, timely criticism of
religion and superstition and an excellent overview of the life of Charles
Darwin.
Personally
I found this one of the most insightful documentaries on evolution and its
philosophical ramifications I have ever seen. As an atheist, I find it helps
explain my worldview and understanding of the world in a way that I could never
do. I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to have a deeper understanding of
the world and our place within it (and that should be everyone !)
This review will appear in Volume 2 No.2
(2009) of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.
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