welcome to two nights program. hosted by the commonwealth club of silicon valley. my name is mary ellen hannibal. it is my pleasure to introduce, richard dawkins. evolutionary biologist, founder of the richard dawkins foundation for reason and science and author most recently of science in the soul. selected writings of a passionate rationalist. he was voted prospect medleys number one world thinker and was on the daily telegraph 100 greatest living geniuses list. he earned his degree in zoology and a doctorate in animal behavior from oxford university and later returned to become the universities first professor for the public understanding of science. his best-selling books include the selfish gene, the blind watchmaker and dad delusion. they have sold more than 3 million copies and have been translated in more than 30 languages worldwide. ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming, richard dawkins. [applause] okay, are we all can you hear me? that sounds pretty
telegraph when interest geniuses.ooking he has his doctorate in animal behavior that returned to become the first professor for public understanding of science. thes selfish gene, the blind watchwa maker and god delusion has sold more than 3 million copies translated more than 38 language worldwide. please join me to welcome richard dawkins. [applause] can you hear me? we have a lot oft heavy duty so i thought maybe we would start with something a little lighter and more personal. there is a wonderful essay and then to write all over those pages so roughly they are contemporaries. and he was a great naturalist like darwin. and i think i was genuinely influenced by dr. doolittle and read all the books. i have not seen any of the films thank goodness. [laughter] they are pretty good. that one. if you really love a book but anyway doctor doolittle did influence me to value animals i may not have gotten. he is actually censored in a lot of libraries because of racism but th