Michael Ruse

Darwinism and Atheism: A Marriage Made in Heaven?
Thursday March 7 2002, 7:00- 9:00 PM, Corwin Pavilion, University Center
Discussant: Stephen Rothstein, Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology
Discussant: Bruce Tiffney, Geological Sciences

AbstractBioEventVideoText
Abstract

This talk will look at the relationship between evolution and Christianity, from the earliest times, through the work of Charles Darwin, and down to the present, ending with some comments on both the prominent Darwinian atheists like Richard Dawkins, as well as the supporters of so-called Intelligent Design. The main theme of the lecture is that Darwinism is a child of Christianity, and that as is usual in parent-children relationships, there is both love and tension. I argue that Darwin's own work stemmed from his religious background rather than despite it, that his supporter T H Huxley had very different ends in view making of evolution a secular religion, and that once the history is understood, as is usual with evolutionary matters, the present is much easier to understand.

Michael Ruse is Lucyle T Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy at the Florida State University. A graduate of Bristol University in England, he taught for thirty five years at the University of Guelph in Canada. He is the author of several books, including Monad to Man: The Concept of Progress in Evolutionary Biology, Taking Darwin Seriously, and recently Can a Darwinian be a Christian? He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

 

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Event
Michael Ruse delivered his lecture to an audience of several hundred on Thursday evening in the Corwin Pavilion. His address was followed by comments from two UCSB professors, a question-and-answer session, and a general reception. Below are some pictures from his visit.

Jim Proctor, Director of UCSB Templeton Lectures Series, welcomes the crowd, and then introduces Michael Ruse.
A large crowd assembled to hear the lecture.
Michael Ruse delivers his lecture on Darwinism.
With Michael Ruse's last slide of Darwin behind him, Jim Proctor asks for questions from the audience, prior to comments by the discussants.
In his response to Michael Ruse's lecture, Bruce Tiffney (UCSB Department of Geological Sciences) emphatically delivers a point.
Steven Rothstein (UCSB Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology) provides further comments on the relationship between science and religion.
Michael Ruse responds to a question from the audience, while the other discussants look on.

 

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