Comments on: Understanding evolution on Darwin Day http://blog.oup.com/2012/02/understanding-evolution/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Thu, 23 May 2013 12:47:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Gale Sinatra co-authored post on Oxford University Press blog about Darwin Day | USC Rossier School of Education http://blog.oup.com/2012/02/understanding-evolution/#comment-251961 Gale Sinatra co-authored post on Oxford University Press blog about Darwin Day | USC Rossier School of Education Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:18:53 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=21383#comment-251961 [...] Sinatra co-authored post on Oxford University Press blog about Darwin Day Oxford University Press blog featured a post co-authored by Gale Sinatra about understanding evolution on Darwin Day titled [...] [...] Sinatra co-authored post on Oxford University Press blog about Darwin Day Oxford University Press blog featured a post co-authored by Gale Sinatra about understanding evolution on Darwin Day titled [...]

]]> By: Kyle http://blog.oup.com/2012/02/understanding-evolution/#comment-250988 Kyle Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:14:09 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=21383#comment-250988 I'm not an evolutionary biologist, so I can only envy Robert for his ability to apply evolutionary principles and understanding in such a broad manner. However, even with my limited knowledge, I was thinking of a similar response before ever reading Robert's. Everyone, no matter their vocation or avocation, possesses an evolved human body. They also have, at minimum, a stake in the direction of human society. Ideally, everyone would have a voice in the complex societal decision making processes of such a highly evolved social species as ours. A basic, if anthropocentric, understanding of evolution yields utilitarian benefits in regard to health, lifestyle, social interactions, political insight, etc. Plus, I think that most people would be simply fascinated by the subject once they reached a certain threshold of understanding. A life-long intellectual pursuit may be triggered, which is never a bad thing. I’m not an evolutionary biologist, so I can only envy Robert for his ability to apply evolutionary principles and understanding in such a broad manner. However, even with my limited knowledge, I was thinking of a similar response before ever reading Robert’s.

Everyone, no matter their vocation or avocation, possesses an evolved human body. They also have, at minimum, a stake in the direction of human society. Ideally, everyone would have a voice in the complex societal decision making processes of such a highly evolved social species as ours. A basic, if anthropocentric, understanding of evolution yields utilitarian benefits in regard to health, lifestyle, social interactions, political insight, etc.

Plus, I think that most people would be simply fascinated by the subject once they reached a certain threshold of understanding. A life-long intellectual pursuit may be triggered, which is never a bad thing.

]]> By: Robert http://blog.oup.com/2012/02/understanding-evolution/#comment-250545 Robert Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:40:11 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=21383#comment-250545 My answer is simple: the theory of evolution, being a model of a fundamental force underlying all of life, is applicable to everything we do in our lives. Every interaction we have with others, every public policy we support or argue against, every business transaction, etc. is governed by evolutionary principles, and so can only be properly understood by someone who understands those principles. As an evolutionary biologist, I view everything that I do or experience in life through the lens of evolution. And I find that I very often already know things about changes the economy, politics, personal relationships, etc., long before the majority of other people come to the same realizations. While sometimes the conclusions I draw are uncomfortable or unpleasant, I can rationally evaluate my options and likely outcomes and make the best decisions even in unfortunate circumstances, confident in the likelihood of the results. Rather than simply putting my faith in a philosophy, the inner workings of which I can't understand, I can see the mechanics of how and why my decisions and actions have the results that they do. My answer is simple: the theory of evolution, being a model of a fundamental force underlying all of life, is applicable to everything we do in our lives. Every interaction we have with others, every public policy we support or argue against, every business transaction, etc. is governed by evolutionary principles, and so can only be properly understood by someone who understands those principles. As an evolutionary biologist, I view everything that I do or experience in life through the lens of evolution. And I find that I very often already know things about changes the economy, politics, personal relationships, etc., long before the majority of other people come to the same realizations. While sometimes the conclusions I draw are uncomfortable or unpleasant, I can rationally evaluate my options and likely outcomes and make the best decisions even in unfortunate circumstances, confident in the likelihood of the results. Rather than simply putting my faith in a philosophy, the inner workings of which I can’t understand, I can see the mechanics of how and why my decisions and actions have the results that they do.

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