From the online magazine, Religion Dispatches.Org :

Last week the New York Times published a profile of evolutionary biologist and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins. It’s mostly light and chatty, a kind of review of Dawkins’ work to date. But right at the end it gets interesting. 

The occasion for the profile is the upcoming release of his children’s book, The Magic of Reality.

Dawkins has always been an avowed athiest and materialist, as we have often discussed here on Theosophy.Net.  In this case he has written a children's book.  It made me think of Richard Bach and his foray into the genre with "There is No Such Place as Far Away," alas a digression.  In this case, no birds fly home with a magic ring, to the contrary the magic is to be found in Dawkins explanations (I have the iPad version). 

What is most surprising in the interview with the Times is Dawkins desire not to teach athiesm but to make the kids freethinkers.  Philosophy forms the basis of how we view the world.  I really wonder if that is borne out of a desire to placate parents of potential students or if it is genuine.  If we take the view of our better angels we would be lead to question how are children to be introduced to philosophy and religion. 

Of course, here at Theosophy.Net we take the view (yes we have a point of view) that it is up to each person to take responsibility for their own spirituality and to embrace, compare and explore.  In each and everyone of use we have taken a lot of time and have given a lot of thought to such things, or most of us wouldn't be interested in this site.

So I guess what I'm wondering is how Dawkins could honestly formulate a generation of inquirers, if that is his intent?

If he is serious in that regards, I certainly wish him the best.

I'll post a review of the book in a blog.