Skip to content

Evolution is a theory in a special philosophical sense of…

“Evolution is a theory in a special philosophical sense of science, but in terms of ordinary laymen's use of language, it's a fact, .. Evolution is a fact in the same sense that it's a fact that the Earth is round and not flat, [that] the Earth goes round the Sun. Both those are also theories, but…” quote by Richard Dawkins
Download Open image
“Evolution is a theory in a special philosophical sense of science, but in terms of ordinary laymen's use of language, it's a fact, .. Evolution is a fact in the same sense that it's a fact that the Earth is round and not flat, [that] the Earth goes round the Sun. Both those are also theories, but they're theories that have never been disproved and never will be disproved.”

Richard Dawkins

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The statement distinguishes scientific theories from everyday facts, asserting evolution is as factual as Earth's shape and motion despite being labeled a theory.

In simple terms: Evolution is a fact like Earth's roundness and orbit.

Key Takeaway

Treat evolution as established knowledge.

Themes

science education philosophy

Mood

thoughtful assertive

Type

educational explanatory

When to use this quote

  • school curricula
  • public debates
  • media reporting
  • policy making

Key Concepts

epistemology theory vs fact scientific consensus

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you differentiate a scientific theory from a fact?
  • What evidence makes evolution undeniable?
A Different Perspective

Some argue that scientific theories remain provisional and could be revised.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Richard Dawkins

Explore all 1,239 Richard Dawkins quotes

More Earth quotes

Browse all 15,455 Earth quotes