Skip to content
Who's in the Video
Richard Dawkins was the inaugural Charles Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. In addition to more than 60 scientific papers, he has published eighteen books, including the[…]
Sign up for the Smarter Faster newsletter
A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

If we want to enhance our public debates and earnestly confront the looming issues of our day, the famed biologist believes that the first step is getting rid of unqualified TV hosts like Bill O’Reilly.

QuestionAre our debates over ‘big’ issues effective?

Richard Dawkins: Well, some of them are. I mean, if they're debates between two intelligent and educated people, they are conducted effectively. But if they're conducted between an intelligent, educated person on the one hand and Bill O'Reilly on the other, they're probably not, no. 

QuestionHow could we better our public discussions?

Richard Dawkins: Perhaps have more intelligent people as television interviewers, rather than people like Bill O'Reilly, for a start. That might not be great for ratings, I suppose, but perhaps we should become less influenced by ratings.

Recorded on: October 21, 2009. Interviewed by Paul Hoffman.

 


Related