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Richard Dawkins On Science Writing
otee writes "Richard Dawkins asks the question: Why hasn't a Nobel Prize been awarded to a scientist for literary work? He suspects that it simply hasn't occurred to the judges. Read the well written article at The Edge Website for information about good (science) writing."
Dawkin's article is about writing popular science texts - he's saying scientific theories presented to the lay person should be simplified for clarity only and need not be dumbed down. There is no reason why a poluar science book written this way should be disqualified as contender for a Nobel prize.
It seems very highly likely to me that this wasn't an error Dawkins himself made. It is rather more likely a mistake made by someone transcribing the article.
Dawkins actually has some fascinating ideas. Some of them happen to be great memes so you've probably heard of them even if you don't know where they originated.
Does he deserve a Nobel prize? Well, I don't know and that's not for me to decide anyway. But he deserves better than to be berated for a spelling error he probably didn't make (on Slashdot of all places!) by someone that goes by the username "SkunkPussy".
This couldn't be further from the truth. Literature is about the sharing of information: thoughts, ideas, feelings, memories. This information enriches the lives of the readers. It stirs emotion, brings cause to arms, makes you think, teaches you something. This is what Nobel had in mind when he willed the prize, not a superfluous style of writing.