Jerry A. Coyne Quotes

Quotes about:

• If the history of science shows us anything, it is that we get nowhere by labeling our ignorance “God”.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Ignorance, Shows, History Of Science

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• There is no horror, no amount of evil in the world, that a true believer can't rationalize as consistent with a loving God. It's the ultimate way of fooling yourself.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Evil, World, Way

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• The fact that both Jews and Christians ignore some of God's or Jesus's commands, but scrupulously obey others, is absolute proof that people pick and choose their morality not on the basis of its divine source, but because it comports with some innate morality that they derived from other sources.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Christian, Jesus, People

  "Biblical Morality Part 2: Killing Non-virgin Brides and Rebellious Kids". Personal blog, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. June 26, 2012.

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• Faith is a padlock of the mind, and few keys can open it.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Keys, Mind, Padlocks

  "Don McLeroy Leaves Creationist Comment: Evolution Can’t Explain 'Biochemical Complexity'". "Why Evolution is True" blog by Jerry Coyne, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. January 30, 2013.

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• If the history of science teaches us anything, it is that what conquers our ignorance is research, not giving up and attributing our ignorance to the miraculous work of a creator.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Giving Up, Ignorance, Research

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution Is True”, p.150, Penguin

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• Evolution tells us where we came from, not where we can go.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Evolution, Where We Came

  Jerry A. Coyne (2010). “Why Evolution is True”, p.218, OUP Oxford

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• In religion, faith is a virtue. In science, faith is a vice.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Faith, Vices, Virtue

  "For the love of God... scientists in uproar at £1m religion prize". www.independent.co.uk. April 7, 2011.

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• The biogeographic evidence for evolution is now so powerful that I have never seen a creationist book, article, or lecture that has tried to refute it. Creationists simply pretend that the evidence doesn't exist.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Powerful, Book, Religion

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution Is True”, p.105, Penguin

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• In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding "truth": dogma, authority, and revelation. Science does find truth, faith does not.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Jealous, Doe, Way

  "William Lane Craig Defends His Ridiculous Claim That Animals Don’t Suffer". "Why Evolution is True" blog by Jerry Coyne, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. February 09, 2013.

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• Theology is the post hoc rationalization of what you want to believe.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Believe, Want, Theology

  "Quote of the Week: William James on Theology". "Why Evolution is True" blog by Jerry Coyne, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. June 04, 2012.

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• Now, science cannot completely exclude the possibility of supernatural explanation. It is possible though very unlikely that our whole world is controlled by elves. But supernatural explanations like these are simply never needed; we manage to understand the natural world just fine using reason and materialism.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  World, Materialism, Reason

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution is True”, p.245, Oxford University Press, USA

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• Religion is based on dogma and belief, whereas science is based on doubt and questioning.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Doubt, Religion, Atheism

  "For the love of God". www.independent.co.uk. April 6, 2011.

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• Science has only two things to contribute to religion: an analysis of the evolutionary, cultural, and psychological basis for believing things that aren't true, and a scientific disproof of some of faith's claims (e.g., Adam and Eve, the Great Flood). Religion has nothing to contribute to science, and science is best off staying as far away from faith as possible. The "constructive dialogue" between science and faith is, in reality, a destructive monologue, with science making all the good points, tearing down religion in the process.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Believe, Reality, Two

  "Tania Lombrozo Strokes the Faithful at NPR". "Why Evolution is True" blog by Jerry Coyne, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. September 23, 2013.

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• All scientific progress requires a climate of strong skepticism.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Strong, Progress, Climate

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• We don't have faith in reason; we use reason because, unlike revelation, it produces results and understanding. Even discussing why we should use reason employs reason!

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Understanding, Use, Have Faith

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• Why, exactly, are scientists supposed to accord "respect" to a bunch of ancient fables that are not only ludicrous on their face, but motivate so much opposition to science?

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Fables, Faces, Ancient

  "Nicholas Wade’s Ridiculous Prescription for Curing Creationism". "Why Evolution is True" blog by Jerry Coyne, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. November 28, 2012.

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• We humans have many vestigial features proving that we evolved. The most famous is the appendix.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Prove, Humans, Features

  Jerry A. Coyne (2010). “Why Evolution is True”, p.65, Oxford University Press

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• We now have many of the answers that once eluded Darwin, thanks to two developments that he could not have imagined: continental drift and molecular taxonomy.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Two, Development, Answers

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution Is True”, p.106, Penguin

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• It is clear, then, that whatever genetic heritage we have, it is not a straitjacket that traps us forever in the "beastly" ways of our forebears. Evolution tells us where we came from, not where we can go.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Forever, Heritage, Way

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution is True”, p.251, Oxford University Press, USA

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• Can a geology teacher blithely tell his students that the earth is flat, or a European history professor that the Holocaust didn't happen? That's not academic freedom, but dereliction of duty.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Teacher, Academic Freedom, Holocaust

  "More Creationism Sneaks Into Public Schools". Personal blog, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. April 29, 2013.

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• If you can't think of an observation that could disprove a theory, that theory simply isn't scientific.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Thinking, Theory, Observation

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution Is True”, p.148, Penguin

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• Harmonizing religion and science makes you seem like an open-minded and reasonable person, while asserting their incompatibility makes enemies and brands you as “militant.” The reason is clear: religion occupies a privileged place in our society. Attacking it is off-limits, although going after other supernatural or paranormal beliefs like ESP, homeopathy, or political worldviews is not. Accommodationism is not meant to defend science, which can stand on its own, but to show that in some way religion can still make credible claims about the world.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Political, Enemy, Esp

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• The battle for evolution seems never-ending. And the battle is part of a wider war, a war between rationality and superstition.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  War, Battle, Superstitions

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution is True”, p.11, Oxford University Press, USA

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• Damn, but science is just a constant feed of cool new facts and theories. Theology doesn't come close.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Facts, Theory, Damn

  "A Huge Water Geyser on Saturn’s Moon Helps Make the Rings, and a Bonus Eclipse From Mars". "Why Evolution is True" blog by Jerry Coyne, whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com. September 17, 2012.

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• We are the one creature to whom natural selection has bequeathed a brain complex enough to comprehend the laws that govern the universe. And we should be proud that we are the only species that has figured how we came to be.

  Jerry A. Coyne

  Law, Brain, Proud

  Jerry A. Coyne (2009). “Why Evolution Is True”, p.233, Penguin

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