Final answer:
The statement commits an appeal to authority logical fallacy when claiming that evolution is true just because Richard Dawkins says so. The credibility of evolution is based on holistic scientific evidence, not individual authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
Is the following statement a logical fallacy? Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and perhaps the foremost expert in the field, says that evolution is true. Therefore, it's true. The question is asking if this statement represents a logical fallacy, which it does. Although Richard Dawkins is indeed a respected authority in the field of evolutionary biology, asserting that evolution is true solely because he says so would be an example of an appeal to authority, which is a logical fallacy. However, the credibility of evolution does not rest on Dawkins' endorsement alone but is supported by a large body of empirical evidence, including fossils, genetics, and observable biological processes.
Scientific theories like evolution are credible because they offer comprehensive explanations that are supported by converging lines of evidence. The theory of evolution is underpinned by both biological and geological observations, which collectively lend it greater credibility. As science focuses on the material world, it does not address the spiritual realm, and as such, scientists may have diverse personal beliefs while agreeing on the evidence for evolution.