Richard Dawkins (born 1941) is a British evolutionary biologist and author. His books on evolution and the philosophy of science have had significant influence on public understanding of biology and the relationship between science and religion.
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Dawkins studied at Oxford and became its first Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science. His book The Selfish Gene popularized the genecentered view of evolution and introduced the concept of memes.
While known for his criticism of religion, Dawkins has acknowledged that the universe reveals “something stunningly close to the God of the physicists”—a deep structure and beauty that evokes awe. His engagement with questions of cosmic meaning continues to be relevant to discussions of science and transcendence.