Matt Ridley's 'The Evolution of Everything' | Blogitem

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Shaun Johnston:
In modern times we've made two revolutionary discoveries. One is, how changes in physical matter can be accounted for in terms of physical laws that can predict precisely what will happen next. Having given rise to science (how this can be studied) and industry (how it can be applied) this revolution is well under way.

The second revolution is, how emergence of species of living creatures can be accounted for in terms of them evolving from one another. This revolution, despite its promise of how much it could tell us about ourselves, remains stillborn through the mistaken application to it of principles coming out of the first revolution--reductive physicalism.

For this second revolution to advance it should be taken from under the wing of science and studied on its own terms. Tip: one recent product of evolution is creatures with minds. Minds are better studied through methods of the humanities than through those of science. Tell me, does this interest you?

Matt Ridley's "The Evolution of Everything"

Details: Written by Shaun Johnston Shaun Johnston; Published: October 13, 2016 October 13, 2016; Hits: 2025 2025

In his novel and bold tracing of the evolution of culture Ridley covers at least two issues, pursues at least three missions, but ends in what we see as a contradiction. More...