"But perhaps the rest of us could have separate classes in science appreciation, the wonder of science, scientific ways of thinking, and the history of scientific ideas, rather than laboratory experience"
About this Quote
The intent is partly pedagogical and partly cultural. Dawkins has spent decades arguing that science is not just a toolkit but an antidote to sloppy thinking, superstition, and ideological capture. By proposing classes in "wonder" and "scientific ways of thinking", he shifts the goal from producing mini-technicians to cultivating adults who can recognize good evidence, understand probability, and resist seductive narratives. "Appreciation" is doing a lot of work here: it suggests the arts model (you can love music without being a composer), while also pushing back against the school-lab experience that often reduces science to error-prone recipes and anxiety-inducing assessments.
The subtext is a critique of how science education frequently fails: students leave remembering bunsen burners, not hypotheses; memorizing terms, not epistemology. His emphasis on "the history of scientific ideas" is a jab at the myth of science as a static body of facts. History reveals science as argument, revision, and occasional embarrassment - which is exactly why it deserves trust. In a moment when public debates hinge on vaccines, climate, and genetics, Dawkins is making the case for scientific citizenship: fewer lab reports, more intellectual immunity.
Quote Details
| Topic | Teaching |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Dawkins, Richard. (2026, January 18). But perhaps the rest of us could have separate classes in science appreciation, the wonder of science, scientific ways of thinking, and the history of scientific ideas, rather than laboratory experience. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/but-perhaps-the-rest-of-us-could-have-separate-1372/
Chicago Style
Dawkins, Richard. "But perhaps the rest of us could have separate classes in science appreciation, the wonder of science, scientific ways of thinking, and the history of scientific ideas, rather than laboratory experience." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/but-perhaps-the-rest-of-us-could-have-separate-1372/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"But perhaps the rest of us could have separate classes in science appreciation, the wonder of science, scientific ways of thinking, and the history of scientific ideas, rather than laboratory experience." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/but-perhaps-the-rest-of-us-could-have-separate-1372/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
