News
All work is due to me no later than Thursday, December 17 at noon. My Landrum office is LA 232; papers can be dropped off there. I have received papers so far from Lara, Craig, Alex, Phylip, Jennifer, Jeffrey, and Sylvia.
Welcome
Some of Darwin's ideas about evolution and natural selection have been deemed to be “dangerous.” These ideas, along with the naturalistic methodology that endorses them, are alleged to challenge some very well established views philosophers and theologians (and others) have held about the status and origin of mankind, the meaning and purpose of life and the universe, the foundations of morality and value, the extent and uniqueness of human rationality, the nature of the mind, and the validity of theism. In this seminar we will examine Darwinian and neo-Darwinian views on evolution and natural selection. We will then consider carefully the extent to which these challenges are legitimate and dangerous. How have naturalistic philosophers attempted to meet these challenges, and to what degree are these responses promising or successful? Daniel Dennett's book Darwin's Dangerous Idea will serve as our guide.
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