Dawkins Cashes in on Darwin’s Upcoming Bicentennial

_{William Dembski

February 14, 2008

Darwinism, Evolution}

Share: Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn; Flipboard; Print; Email

Richard is happy

The same publisher that brought you DARWIN’S BLACK BOX and THE EDGE OF EVOLUTION (i.e., The Free Press) is paying Richard Dawkins $3.5million for his next book, to be titled ONLY A THEORY? I’m told, however, that other titles are still in the running, including

MERELY A HYPOTHESIS
MERE DARWINISM (this and the last to attract fans of C. S. Lewis)
THE NADIR OF SCIENCE
DARWIN’S DEAD IDEA
EVOLUTION: THE ILLUSION OF POSSIBILITY
DARWINISM DEVOLVING
EVOLUTION: THE SENESCENT YEARS

$3.5million is a lot of money. The question I have is whether Dawkins still worships exclusively in the temple of Darwin or if he now also attends services at the temple of Mammon.

Mammon

Comments

Haha eureka, nice. Always good to meet another Reagan fan.PannenbergOmega_{February 20, 2008
February
02
Feb
20
20
2008
04:14 PM
4
04
14
PM
PST}

I wonder what Ronald Reagan would have thought about these ‘new’ atheists.
"Well, there you go again."eureka_{February 20, 2008
February
02
Feb
20
20
2008
01:16 PM
1
01
16
PM
PST}

The photo of Dawkins is hi-larious! He’s such a chump following the leading paradigm, regardless of the moral or logical issues he may face - and to think, the evidence shows that methodological naturalism is clearly outdated.chuckhumphry_{February 17, 2008
February
02
Feb
17
17
2008
07:55 PM
7
07
55
PM
PST}

I wonder what Ronald Reagan would have thought about these 'new' atheists.PannenbergOmega_{February 15, 2008
February
02
Feb
15
15
2008
07:56 AM
7
07
56
AM
PST}

ONLY A THEORY? No it's also a substitutiary religion. Like Marxist Communism.PannenbergOmega_{February 15, 2008
February
02
Feb
15
15
2008
07:55 AM
7
07
55
AM
PST}

The judge in the Dover trial was a conservative Republican. He was a Republican but he was no conservative. I don't know if I'd call him a liberal either. I suspect he bases his convictions on the direction of the wind. His career followed the path of a classic political hack -- township solicitor, failed candidate, picking the right horse in a winning election, then a plum appointment followed by another. He was a crony of Tom Ridge, btw, who is anything but conservative on social issues.tribune7_{February 15, 2008
February
02
Feb
15
15
2008
05:32 AM
5
05
32
AM
PST}

I'm surprised nobody suggested a title like. "Evolution is TRUE!, Wont somebody please think of the children !"Jason Rennie_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
02:42 PM
2
02
42
PM
PST}

Sorry, premature submission problem. Other titles also in the running for Dawkins’ upcoming include: "ONLY" AN EXPLANATORY FRAMEWORK WITH MANY SUPPORTING STRANDS OF EVIDENCE. YES, IT IS A SYSTEMATIC AND FORMALIZED EXPRESSION OF ALL PREVIOUS OBSERVATIONS and THAT'S RIGHT, IT EXPLAINS A VAST ARRAY OF OBSERVED FACTSSemprini_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
02:21 PM
2
02
21
PM
PST}

Tarn it...
I am still getting royalties on the first book and still living off the advance on the second
...said Dawkins recently. Oh no, sorry, my mistake. Other titles also in the running for Dawkins' include: ONLYSemprini_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
02:15 PM
2
02
15
PM
PST}

If all goes well, Dr. Dembski will have the last laugh on Darwin's next birthday. Wouldn't it be sweet if by the time Dawkins publishes his book, Darwin's silly "theory" has finally been exposed and all the universities are using Exploring Evolution and The Design of Life as textbooks? It's only a matter of time, friends...vesf_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
12:27 PM
12
12
27
PM
PST}

Nick, I was always more skeptical of Jones. In any case, hindsight is 20-20. Did you offer any predictions about Jones's likely decision in the Dover case? Tyke, Of course I wouldn't turn down a $3.5 million cash advance. Nor do I begrudge Dawkins that advance. He's a good writer, has a huge following, and is striking at the right moment. So why did I post my post: (1) To indicate that there is great interest in our issue and that the same New York trade press is willing to publish both sides of the issue. (2) To offer some titles that I find amusing and that seem to capture more accurately what Dawkins's book is likely to be about. (3) To work in, albeit awkwardly I admit, that crazy ad about Dean Sachs looking to Mammon as a spiritual provider. Tyke, you need to loosen up.William Dembski_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
11:27 AM
11
11
27
AM
PST}

I would like to see a series of ID lectures by the experts, freely available for download, DVD quality, YouTube ready, and so on. And we still haven't seen the Jay Richards versus Christopher Hitchens debate. What on earth is going on here? Was the debate a secret?CN_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
11:24 AM
11
11
24
AM
PST}

Leo, The judge in the Dover trial was a conservative Republican. DaveScot said he was "a good old boy brought up through the conservative ranks."Nick_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
11:19 AM
11
11
19
AM
PST}

This is a very odd subject for a posting, Bill. I'm not sure what you're getting at. It comes across as sour grapes to me. And it sort of begs the question... Would you turn down a $3.5 million dollar cash advance for your next book?tyke_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
10:37 AM
10
10
37
AM
PST}

Off-topic: I posted a new blog entry on "Opposing Viewpoints", consensus science and diversity in academic thought here: Opposing ViewpointsAtom_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
09:39 AM
9
09
39
AM
PST}

If Dawkins has the clout you describe, undoubtedly he was enough of a snake to get both, n'est ca pas?dennis grey_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
09:24 AM
9
09
24
AM
PST}

I disagree with Dawkins on both religion and science (in the Dawkins vs. Gould match, I'm a Gouldian). But the Free Press is not stupid. Dawkins is a lively and vigorous writer, his book will sell, and they'll probably make money even with that advance. Best-selling authors with a sales track record like Dawkins can get pretty big advances from savvy publishers. I don't know how much Free Press advanced Behe for his latest, but his contract probably included a royalty percentage after the advance. So a book with a small advance can make as much for an author as a book with a large one, if it sells enough.larrynormanfan_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
08:41 AM
8
08
41
AM
PST}

haha those are great titles. I've never laughed so hard at a post here before. That's a lot of money for writing a book about something that's only a theory.Fross_{February 14, 2008
February
02
Feb
14
14
2008
07:58 AM
7
07
58
AM
PST}

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Leave a Reply