Atheism Quote by Richard Dawkins
“That there is a continuous link from humans to gorillas, with the intermediate species merely long dead, is beyond the understanding of speciesists. Tie the label Homo sapiens even to a tiny piece of insensible embryonic tissue, and its life suddenly leaps to infinite, incomputable value… Self-styled pro-lifers, and others that indulge in footling debates about exactly when in its development a foetus becomes human, exhibit the same discontinuous mentality. Human, to the discontinuous mind, is an absolutist concept. There can be no half measures. And from this flows much evil.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, 2006
Dawkins argues that viewing humanity as a continuous, infinite-valued lineage leads to absolutist thinking, which fuels extremist positions and moral inflexibility.
In simple terms: Seeing humans as a continuous lineage creates rigid, extreme views.
Key Takeaway
Recognize nuance and avoid absolutist moral judgments.
Themes
ethics
humanity
science
religion
morality
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- bioethics debates
- policy making
- education curricula
- public discourse
Key Concepts
continuity
value theory
absolutism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we respect life without absolutism?
- What middle grounds exist in bioethical debates?
A Different Perspective
Complex moral issues often require balanced, context‑sensitive approaches.
