Man is a competitive creature, and the seeds of conflict are built deep into our genes. We fought each other on the savannah and only survived against great odds by organising ourselves into groups which would have had a common purpose, giving morale and fortitude.

Whether you're religious or not, there is a real need for other people's religious positions to be treated with the upmost respect.

I like travelling on my own. It means I'm completely free to think about what's around me.

We can't any longer have the conventional understanding of genetics which everybody peddles because it is increasingly obvious that epigenetics - actually things which influence the genome's function - are much more important than we realised.

I don't believe the fertilised egg can be equated with the sort of human life that you and I represent, or our children represent.

Surgeons always underestimate the pain and disability involved in what they do to people.

Although religion might be useful in developing a solid moral framework - and enforcing it - we can quite easily develop moral intuitions without relying on religion.