Darwin & Beyond at the BRLSI - Philosophy Programme

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Philosophy Programme

■ Ethics after Darwin - The Idea of Natural Selection Led to Confusion

Dr Don Cameron
BRLSI member

Since its publication in 1859, the idea of natural selection has had a profound influence on ethical thought. Many of these ideas, for example eugenics, have been completely misguided and this has left a confused picture. Despite this, modern work on the evolutionary origin of altruism cannot be ignored by philosophy although, following Hume, it cannot offer a complete solution.

Tuesday 6 January 2009 - Note new date

Event Report

■ Evolution, Co-operation and Rationality

Professor Samir Okasha
Bristol University

An examination of the problem of co-operation as it arises in both traditional rational choice theory and evolutionary theory. In both cases, the challenge is to explain why an individual should ever co-operate with others, given the perennial temptation to be a free-rider. The speaker argues that the problem appears more tractable from an evolutionary perspective.

Tuesday 3 March 2009

■ Darwin’s Memes—Evolution in the Cosmos

Dr Susan Blackmore,
Author and Broadcaster

Darwin’s idea of evolution by natural selection
doesn’t just explain design in the living world, it explains all design, including culture, art, science and everything we human meme machines think we have created for ourselves. Universal Darwinism can be applied further to think about how life and technology might evolve elsewhere in the cosmos, and what this tells us about the prospects for human life here on earth.
Tuesday 7 April 2009 - Note new date

■ Darwin’s Philosophical Legacy

Professor John Dupré
University of Exeter

What do we mean by Darwinism? While the fact of evolution is uncontroversial, the process, and particularly the overwhelming importance of natural selection, have recently been questioned. Even so- called ‘Lamarckian’ ideas have been revived by some scientists. This talk will assess these developments.

Thursday 4 June 2009

■ The Selective Advantage of Art—What Can Art Do For You?

Professor Julian Vincent
University of Bath

Anything that enhances survival gives ‘selective advantage’. The prevalence of arts–dance, literature, poetry, graphics, story-telling and so on–suggests that art confers selective advantage. How could it operate?
Tuesday 7 July 2009

■ Masters of Suspicion—Darwin’s Influence on Marx, Freud and Nietzsche

Dr Alison Scott-Baumann
University of Gloucestershire

Paul Ricoeur’s three ‘Masters of Suspicion’ were all influenced by Darwin over issues such as natural selection and the will to power. Most importantly for them, he deprived us of the conviction that we are separate from, and superior to, the animal kingdom.

Tuesday 6 October 2009

Still to come in 2010:

■ Darwinian Reverie

Olivier Pagini

A film in French with English subtitles, linking
the Theory of Evolution with philosopher Gaston
Bachelard (1884-1962). It will be introduced by
BRLSI Darwin Programme Manager Martin Sturge
and the film’s maker, Olivier Pagini.

Tuesday January 5th 2010

■ Darwin and Philosophy

Dr Tim Lewens
Cambridge University

In recent years, Darwinian thinking has been put to work on a range of topics that have traditionally fallen within the domain of philosophy. These topics include the nature of knowledge, morality, culture and the mind. This talk shows how Darwin himself engaged with these philosophical questions.

Tuesday May 4th 2010

(postponed from September 1st 2009)

All events are at BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HN, and start at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated.