Richard Dawkins says 'date rape is bad, stranger rape at knifepoint is worse' in Twitter rant

British biologist and author Richard Dawkins is seen in London in this Jan. 6, 2009 file photo. (AP / Akira Suemori)

Renowned scientist and secularist Richard Dawkins had to defend some of his latest theories Tuesday after saying that "date rape is bad, stranger rape at knifepoint is worse" in a Twitter rant.

Dawkins, a prolific writer known for books such as "The God Delusion," took to Twitter to expound on the theory that: "X is bad. Y is worse. If you think that’s an endorsement of X, go away and don’t come back until you’ve learned how to think logically."

While that was a popular tweet, receiving more than 650 re-tweets and more than 620 "favourites," it was the two examples he used to illustrate that theory that drew a whole lot of criticism.

That tweet received nearly 200 retweets and was "favourited" nearly 300 times.

That was re-tweeted nearly 300 times and received more than 350 "favourites."

His logic spurred a variety of responses, from legal advice to shock and disbelief.

Dawkins then tried to further explain his logic.

"If you prefer to think date rape is worse than knifepoint, simply reverse my syllogism. To say Y is worse than X is not an endorsement of Y."

And then: "Yes yes, you rank X and Y differently. Fine. Whichever you rank as worse, it is still logical to interpret that as approval of the other."

"Whether X or Y is worse is a matter of opinion. But it is a matter of LOGIC that to express that opinion doesn't mean you approve of either."

He then mocked his critics.

After spending a few hours responding to his critics, Dawkins appeared to come to the realization that so many others felled by foot-in-mouth disease have realized: "What I have learned today is that there are people on Twitter who think in absolutist terms, to an extent I wouldn't have believed possible."