Full story
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/pe...n-9489287.html
"Fairy tales are harmful to children because they ?inculcate a view of the world which includes supernaturalism?, according to Professor Richard Dawkins.
The evolutionary biologist, a leading atheist and author of books including The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion, told an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival that he stopped believing in religion when he was about eight after having seen through Santa Claus when he was just 21 months old.
He suggested children should be taught scientific rigour from an early age.
?Is it a good thing to go along with the fantasies of childhood, magical as they are? Or should we be fostering a spirit of scepticism?? he said, according to The Daily Telegraph.
?I think it's rather pernicious to inculcate into a child a view of the world which includes supernaturalism ? we get enough of that anyway.
?Even fairy tales, the ones we all love, with wizards or princesses turning into frogs or whatever it was. There?s a very interesting reason why a prince could not turn into a frog ? it's statistically too improbable.?
Continued
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/pe...n-9489287.html