185 | Arvid Ågren on the Gene's-Eye View of Evolution

185 | Arvid Ågren on the Gene's-Eye View of Evolution

One of the brilliant achievements of Darwin's theory of natural selection was to help explain apparently "purposeful" or "designed" aspects of biology in a purely mechanistic theory of unguided evolution. Features are good if they help organisms survive. But should we put organisms at the center of our attention, or the genetic information that governs those features? Arvid Ågren helps us understand the attraction of the "selfish gene" view of evolution, as well as its shortcomings. This biological excursion has deep connections to philosophical issues of levels and emergence.

Support Mindscape on Patreon.

Arvid Ågren received his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Toronto. He is currently a Wenner-Gren Fellow at the Evolutionary Biology Centre at Uppsala University. Previously he worked at Cornell and Harvard. His recent book is The Gene's-Eye View of Evolution.


Avsnitt(418)

AMA | May 2024

AMA | May 2024

Welcome to the May 2024 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreon...

6 Maj 20243h 35min

274 | Gizem Gumuskaya on Building Robots from Human Cells

274 | Gizem Gumuskaya on Building Robots from Human Cells

Modern biology is advancing by leaps and bounds, not only in understanding how organisms work, but in learning how to modify them in interesting ways. One exciting frontier is the study of tiny "robot...

29 Apr 20241h 10min

273 | Stefanos Geroulanos on the Invention of Prehistory

273 | Stefanos Geroulanos on the Invention of Prehistory

Humanity itself might be the hardest thing for scientists to study fairly and accurately. Not only do we come to the subject with certain inevitable preconceptions, but it's hard to resist the temptat...

22 Apr 20241h 19min

272 | Leslie Valiant on Learning and Educability in Computers and People

272 | Leslie Valiant on Learning and Educability in Computers and People

Science is enabled by the fact that the natural world exhibits predictability and regularity, at least to some extent. Scientists collect data about what happens in the world, then try to suggest "law...

15 Apr 20241h 8min

AMA | April 2024

AMA | April 2024

Welcome to the April 2024 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patre...

8 Apr 20243h 14min

271 | Claudia de Rham on Modifying General Relativity

271 | Claudia de Rham on Modifying General Relativity

Einstein's theory of general relativity has been our best understanding of gravity for over a century, withstanding a variety of experimental challenges of ever-increasing precision. But we have to be...

1 Apr 20241h 21min

270 | Solo: The Coming Transition in How Humanity Lives

270 | Solo: The Coming Transition in How Humanity Lives

Technology is changing the world, in good and bad ways. Artificial intelligence, internet connectivity, biological engineering, and climate change are dramatically altering the parameters of human lif...

25 Mars 20242h 9min

269 | Sahar Heydari Fard on Complexity, Justice, and Social Dynamics

269 | Sahar Heydari Fard on Complexity, Justice, and Social Dynamics

When it comes to social change, two questions immediately present themselves: What kind of change do we want to see happen? And, how do we bring it about? These questions are distinct but related; the...

18 Mars 20241h 11min

Populärt inom Vetenskap

svd-nyhetsartiklar
dumma-manniskor
p3-dystopia
allt-du-velat-veta
rss-vetenskapsradion-2
medicinvetarna
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
rss-ufo-bortom-rimligt-tvivel-2
rss-vetenskapsradion
det-morka-psyket
bildningspodden
hacka-livet
halsorevolutionen
vetenskapsradion
rss-geopodden-2
sexet
rss-arkeologi-historia-podden-som-graver-i-vart-kulturlandskap
rss-experimentet
dumforklarat
matfrihet