A conversation with Prof. David Sloan Wilson |

Hosted by Prof. Oren Harman

 

People seeking positive change often use words like “evolve” and “adapt” in the vernacular, but seldom think to consult the science of change -- evolutionary science. This is in part because evolutionary science was confined to the study of genetic evolution for most of the 20th century. More recently, it has expanded to include a much broader array of human-centered goals, including personal and cultural growth. In the hands of our guest, the evolutionist and philosopher David Sloan Wilson, it is specifically being applied to making Binghamton, New York, a better city. Generalized Darwinism reveals the need to manage evolutionary processes to align them with normative goals. Otherwise, Wilson argues, evolution takes us where we don’t want to go.

Participants

Prof. David Sloan Wilson, Binghamton University

Prof. Oren Herman, Bar-Ilan University; The Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem