February 11, 2015
This week we will review the readings from last week that we haven't yet discussed. Specifically, we will talk about
- The salient characteristics on humans: see the PBS series "The Human Spark" (on reserve at Lilly Library), and Mirror Neurons
- Barbara Fredrickson's research on positive emotions and human thriving: Watch this TED talk "Remaking Love".
From here, we will transition into discussions of evolution as a process, with or without direction.
Please read this short speech by Lord Moulton entitled "Law and Manners," published in The Atlantic Monthly in July 1924. The point here is that civilization is not based on laws, not even if these laws are meant to guarantee individual freedoms. Civilization is based on "civility." Civility is inherently "Obedience to the Unenforceable." That is, it is each one's own choice to conform to that which is not required, but which seems to make sense from the standpoint of a picture that extends beyond one's own clear and immediate interest.
We will consider the "direction of evolution" in the context of Chaos Theory. Taking this approach allows us to incorporate an understanding of the views of determinists, indeterminists, compatibilists, and incompatibilists, which are standard approaches to the question of whether or not humans have "free will." In other words, given the way the world actually operates, it is natural that philosophers, scientists and inquiring people might question the relationship of determinism and indeterminism or a combination of the two when it comes to free will. As Edward Lorenz summarized,
"Chaos: When the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future."
The salient features revealed in Chaos Theory are 1) the enormous long-term effect of tiny differences in initial (present) conditions, 2) the inherent overall order retained in spite of any specific unpredictability, and 3) the inter-connectivity over time of seemingly unrelated events.
Chaos theory is the study of the behavior of dynamical systems. The universe is a cauldron of dynamical systems. Evolution is happening! We are part of it! We have free will! As we choose, so we become. What we become is part of the experience of the universe. This is humbling.
One of the objectives of this course is to bring our attention to the inherent overall order that scientific research has been finding in the dynamic operations of the world - both in natural (mechanical) processes and in social interactions. Here are three articles that describe models that have been used to describe the evolving inherent overall order when it comes to human interactions.
Harvard mathematical biologist Martin Nowak and his colleagues on "Why did people evolve to be cooperative? And why in a principled way?" . (You may access a PDF version here.) Nowak's work has been focused on identifying the principles of order used in dynamic social (human) processes that can account for the level of cooperation and generosity exhibited by human civilization. We will look at his work more later.
University of Pennsylvania evolutionary biologists Alexandar Stewart and Joshua Plotkin present more data on how "Generosity leads to evolutionary success". (You may access a PDF version here.)
Lastly, I bring to your attention a contribution to the question of Natural Selection and the Problem of Evil in a paper by Clemson University Professor of Economics Robert Fleck.
- The salient characteristics on humans: see the PBS series "The Human Spark" (on reserve at Lilly Library), and Mirror Neurons
- Barbara Fredrickson's research on positive emotions and human thriving: Watch this TED talk "Remaking Love".
From here, we will transition into discussions of evolution as a process, with or without direction.
Please read this short speech by Lord Moulton entitled "Law and Manners," published in The Atlantic Monthly in July 1924. The point here is that civilization is not based on laws, not even if these laws are meant to guarantee individual freedoms. Civilization is based on "civility." Civility is inherently "Obedience to the Unenforceable." That is, it is each one's own choice to conform to that which is not required, but which seems to make sense from the standpoint of a picture that extends beyond one's own clear and immediate interest.
We will consider the "direction of evolution" in the context of Chaos Theory. Taking this approach allows us to incorporate an understanding of the views of determinists, indeterminists, compatibilists, and incompatibilists, which are standard approaches to the question of whether or not humans have "free will." In other words, given the way the world actually operates, it is natural that philosophers, scientists and inquiring people might question the relationship of determinism and indeterminism or a combination of the two when it comes to free will. As Edward Lorenz summarized,
"Chaos: When the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future."
The salient features revealed in Chaos Theory are 1) the enormous long-term effect of tiny differences in initial (present) conditions, 2) the inherent overall order retained in spite of any specific unpredictability, and 3) the inter-connectivity over time of seemingly unrelated events.
Chaos theory is the study of the behavior of dynamical systems. The universe is a cauldron of dynamical systems. Evolution is happening! We are part of it! We have free will! As we choose, so we become. What we become is part of the experience of the universe. This is humbling.
One of the objectives of this course is to bring our attention to the inherent overall order that scientific research has been finding in the dynamic operations of the world - both in natural (mechanical) processes and in social interactions. Here are three articles that describe models that have been used to describe the evolving inherent overall order when it comes to human interactions.
Harvard mathematical biologist Martin Nowak and his colleagues on "Why did people evolve to be cooperative? And why in a principled way?" . (You may access a PDF version here.) Nowak's work has been focused on identifying the principles of order used in dynamic social (human) processes that can account for the level of cooperation and generosity exhibited by human civilization. We will look at his work more later.
University of Pennsylvania evolutionary biologists Alexandar Stewart and Joshua Plotkin present more data on how "Generosity leads to evolutionary success". (You may access a PDF version here.)
Lastly, I bring to your attention a contribution to the question of Natural Selection and the Problem of Evil in a paper by Clemson University Professor of Economics Robert Fleck.