| Richard Dawkins Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 10 in |
| Weight | 74 kg |
| Date of Birth | March 26, 1941 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
Richard Dawkins is a British evolutionary biologist and author who is reputed to be among the 21st century’s most distinguished atheists. He was catapulted to worldwide recognition with his criticism of long-held ideas like creationism and intelligent design published in thought-provoking books such as The Selfish Gene (1976), The Blind Watchmaker (1986), The God Delusion (2006), etc.
Born Name
Clinton Richard Dawkins
Nick Name
Richard
Sun Sign
Aries
Born Place
Nairobi, British Kenya
Nationality
Education
Dawkins was educated at the Chafyn Grove School in Wiltshire and the Oundle School (1954-1959) in Northamptonshire. He went on to study at the Balliol College, Oxford, and graduated with upper-second-class honors in zoology in 1962. He was mentored by Nikolaas Tinbergen, a Nobel Prize-winning ethologist, and earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree under his supervision in 1966.
Furthermore, he earned his Doctor of Science degree from Oxford University in 1989.
Occupation
Evolutionary Biologist, Author
Family
- Father – Clinton John Dawkins (Agricultural Civil Servant)
- Mother – Jean Mary Vyvya LadnerÂ
- Siblings – Sarah Dawkins (Younger Sister)
Net Worth
As of 2023, Richard Dawkins’ net worth was $10 million according to CelebrityNetWorth.com.
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 10 in or 178 cm
Weight
74 kg or 163 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Richard has dated –
- Marian Stamp (1967-1984) – His first marriage was to the ethologist Marian Stamp, whom he wed on August 19, 1967. However, the couple separated and their divorce was finalized in 1984.
- Eve Barham – Dawkins tied the knot with Eve Barham on June 1, 1984. The couple welcomed a daughter named Juliet Emma Dawkins (b. 1984) before getting divorced.
- Lalla Ward (1992-2016) – He married the actress-turned-illustrator Lalla Ward in 1992. The two were introduced by their common friend, Douglas Adams. Their marriage lasted for close to 25 years before ending in divorce in 2016.
Race / Ethnicity
White
He has English, 5/16th Cornish, a small amount of Afrikaner [French, German, Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Belgian Flemish, Frisian], and distant Northern Irish ancestry.
Hair Color
Black
However, his hair has turned ‘Gray’ due to his advancing age.
Eye Color
Hazel
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Charming smile
- Prominent cheekbones
- Thin lips
Religion
Atheism
Richard Dawkins Facts
- He is one of the Four Horsemen of New Atheism along with Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris.
- Dawkins invented the term ‘meme’ as it was first referenced in his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene.
- In 2006, he was portrayed in an episode of South Park titled ‘Go, God Go XII’ wherein his character is a renowned atheist figure in the year 2546 and retorts, “it’s not enough to be an Atheist, you have to be a d*ck about it to everyone who doesn’t agree with you.” Years later in 2012, Dawkins gave a presentation at the National Secular Society Conference in London on how to address one’s atheistic views with others and concluded with a slide stating, “Don’t be a d*ck”.
- In 2007, he was included in the list of ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’ by Time Magazine. Additionally, he was ranked in the 2007 list of ‘100 Greatest Living Geniuses’ by The Daily Telegraph at #20.
- He has a new genus of freshwater fish called ‘Dawkinsia’ named after him by a Sri Lankan team of ichthyologists, led by Rohan Pethiyagoda, in 2012.
Featured Image by Steve Jurvetson / Wikimedia / CC BY 2.0 DEED
