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THIS VIEW OF LIFE

Why Teleology is the Elephant in Evolutionary Theory’s Room

Imagine humans one day fulfill what is currently only a dream for the discipline known today as synthetic biology: to create a whole new species from simple organic molecules. No,...

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By Stanley N. Salthe In Biology

Can Evolution be Understood as a Conscious Process?

My approach is explored by considering Aristotelian Causal Categories, focusing on Final Cause. I then consider the possibility of understanding this question from an ‘internalist’ perspective.

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By Kurt Johnson In Biology

One Culture, Two Cultures? How Many Cultures, How Long?

When asked “Can Evolution be Conscious?” reactions can occur aptly reflecting the “informal definition” (as stated in most dictionaries) of schizoid, that is, “having inconsistent or seemingly contradictory elements.”

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Anthropology Sports

Fa’asamoa of Tattooing and Football: Conservatism and Adaptation in Samoan Cultural Evolution

Two new books published in 2018 emphasize the role of fa’asamoa in amplifying “sticky” cultural…

Christopher D. Lynn
January 25, 2019

Biology Philosophy

Can Evolution Be Conscious of Itself? Yes, It Can!

Human beings are subject to the workings of evolution and are also aware of their…

Joe Brewer
January 23, 2019

Biology Philosophy

The Consciousness of Detachment and the Detachment of Consciousness

To speak of an evolution of consciousness as a natural event is to be committed…

Lenny Moss
January 18, 2019

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Biology Philosophy

Welcome to the Noösphere

An evolutionary teleological view would be that no matter where you are in the cosmos,…

Alice Andrews
January 15, 2019

Biology Philosophy

The Evolution of Consciousness Enables Conscious Evolution

Understanding the evolution of consciousness provides the scaffolding for evolutionary science itself to consciously evolve,…

Steven C. Hayes
January 11, 2019

Biology Philosophy

The Origins and Evolutionary Effects of Consciousness

How consciousness evolved and how consciousness has come to affect evolutionary processes are related issues.

Eva Jablonka and Simona Ginsburg
January 7, 2019

Biology Religion

Science and Religion Need Not Be At War

My Agreement and Disagreement with Jerry Coyne.

David Sloan Wilson
December 27, 2018

Arts Culture Education

A School, Camp, and Retreat Center Informed by Evolutionary Science

Between the ages of 10 and 13, I attended a magical boarding school in the…

David Sloan Wilson
December 21, 2018

Biology Philosophy

Conscious Evolution is a Category Mistake

No, evolution is not a conscious process, and to think so is an example of…

Massimo Pigliucci
December 13, 2018

Anthropology Culture

Cultural Evolution, Insight, and Fundamental Theories of Consciousness

Since cultural evolution is fueled by the creative efforts of human minds which, by anyone’s…

Liane Gabora
December 10, 2018

Commentaries

Can Evolution Be Conscious? Introducing a Collection of Commentaries Published on This View of Life

To make the concept of conscious evolution fully respectable again, TVOL is pleased to feature…

David Sloan Wilson, Mel Andrews, Maximus Thaler
December 10, 2018

Biology

Was Darwin A Group Selectionist? A Conversation with Elliott Sober

You can’t talk about religious beliefs and practices as adaptations without addressing the issue of…

David Sloan Wilson, Elliott Sober
December 3, 2018

Anthropology Biology Gender Race

Fighting for the Middle Ground: David Sloan Wilson Interviews Holly Dunsworth on the Ethics of Teaching Evolution

In a world that is being ripped apart by polarized views and fake news, scientific…

Holly Dunsworth, David Sloan Wilson
November 28, 2018

Biology Gender History Race

It Is Unethical To Teach Evolution Without Confronting Racism And Sexism

Evolution educators—even if sticking to E. coli, fruit flies, or sticklebacks—must confront the ways that…

Holly Dunsworth
November 19, 2018

Sports Uncategorized

Territoriality in Sports

Signaling territoriality of home-playing athletes might contribute to the home advantage.

Philip Furley
October 28, 2018

Biology Philosophy

Saving Social Constructivism

Social constructivism is on trial for being an academic fraud. Can it be rescued and…

David Sloan Wilson, Lynette Shaw
October 9, 2018

Anthropology Biology Gender

The Obstetrical Dilemma, Dismantled: Human Childbirth is Not a Dilemma

Rather than being evicted from the womb before their heads are too big, a new…

Michelle Rodrigues
September 27, 2018

Engineering Environment Special Publication

Constructing Our Niches: The Application of Evolutionary Theory to the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry has the ability to mindfully orchestrate the direction…

Marcel J. Harmon
September 12, 2018

Biology Technology

The Evolution of Emergent Computation

Many systems in nature consist of a large number of relatively simple units that interact…

Wim Hordijk
September 10, 2018

Education

Attention Teachers! How To Turn Your Classes Into Prosocial Groups

Prosocial.world, a project by David Sloan Wilson, is a practical method for improving the efficacy…

David Sloan Wilson
August 16, 2018

Anthropology Biology

Mismatch: An Interview with Mark van Vugt

Human psychology evolved over millions of years in relatively stable environments in small-scale communities. But, in…

Gareth Craze, Mark van Vugt
July 26, 2018

Economy

The Evolutionary Roots of Irrationality

Homo Economicus is perhaps nothing more than an illusion. Instead, the mirror that behavioral economics…

Wim Hordijk
July 16, 2018

Business Economy

Humanizing Corporations: A Nobel Prize for Enlightened Business Leaders

How Per L. Saxegaard's (Business for Peace Foundation) efforts to humanize corporations can be understood…

Per L. Saxegaard, David Sloan Wilson
July 15, 2018

Biology Gender

Sex Roles Are Flexible in Chimpanzees and Bonobos. What Does That Say About Human Evolution?

A new study shows that chimpanzees and bonobos are far more similar in their gender…

Michelle Rodrigues
July 9, 2018

Culture

Patriotism of a Different Kind

We need to tear down outdated forms of "patriotism" and view ourselves as one species…

Marcel J. Harmon
July 4, 2018

Biology

The Biological Scars of Separation

The deliberate separation of migrant children from their parents is not only cruel and unnecessary…

Patrick F. Clarkin
June 20, 2018

Business Culture Economy

You’re Racist and Sexist, But It’s Not (Entirely) Your Fault

Companies are great at evaluating skills but inconsistent at evaluating temperament due to unconscious bias.…

Lori Wiser, David Sloan Wilson
June 18, 2018

Biology Gender

Can Monkeys Be Gay? What Homosexual Behavior in Primates Can Tell Us About the Evolution of Human Sexuality

Recent observations of homosexual behavior in male spider monkeys adds to our knowledge of these…

Michelle Rodrigues
June 12, 2018

Morality Special Publication

Is There a Universal Morality? Introduction and Overview of Responses

TVOL is pleased to explore the question “Is there a universal morality?” with the help…

David Sloan Wilson, Mark Sloan, Michael Price
May 23, 2018

Morality Special Publication

Universal Morality – A Passel of Distinctions

The question of whether there is a universal morality requires clarification.

Elliott Sober
May 23, 2018

Biology

Quantum Chimpanzees: Do Watched Primates Change Their Behavior?

In particle physics, the mere act of looking at an electron changes its direction of…

Michelle Rodrigues
May 17, 2018

Morality Special Publication

Do Universal Moral Intuitions Shape and Constrain Culturally Prevalent Moral Norms?

Universal moral intuitions are like anchors, invisible from the surface but immovably secured to the…

Harvey Whitehouse, Ryan McKay
May 17, 2018

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