Richard Dawkins presents the ultimate three-part guide to Charles Darwin and his masterpiece, On the Origin of Species. Dawkins explains who Charles Darwin was, how he developed his theory, what it is, and why it matters. He reveals how Darwin changed forever the way we see ourselves, the world and our place in it, and hopes to convince us that 'evolution is a fact, backed by undeniable evidence'.
The Genius of Charles Darwin Part 1: The Fifth Ape
In the second programme Dawkins explains that Darwin's Theory of Evolution presented a disturbing truth: that humans are animals, asking 'what does it mean to be evolved'? Although natural selection is the driving force of our evolution Dawkins clarifies that this does not mean that society should be run on Darwinian lines. 'As a scientist I'm thrilled by natural selection, but as a human being I abhor it as a principle for organising society.' Starting out in Africa, he speaks to palaeontologist Richard Leakey and travels to Nairobi where he meets prostitutes who seem to have acquired a genetic immunity to the HIV virus. Dawkins also investigates the world of the entrepreneurial businessman and social Darwinism, examining whether there are parallels to be drawn between economic and biological systems. Finally, in examining both the 'caring' behaviours of human beings and animals, he examines how the moral code of human beings, and their displays of sensitivity and altruism, can be reconciled with the idea of the survival of the fittest.
The Genius of Charles Darwin is a three-part television documentary, written and presented by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins.
It was first shown in August 2008 on Channel 4. It won Best TV Documentary Series 2008 at the British Broadcast Awards in January 2009.
