DetailsCharles Darwin’s religious views have been vigorously debated. The son and grandson of well-known 19th-century freethinkers, he nonetheless had a conventional religious upbringing, and scholars agree that for at least the early part of his life, he was conventionally religious. His views changed later in life, drifting more towards the rejection of Christianity held by his father and grandfather. One explanation for this change is the development of his idea of evolution by natural selection, though there is not yet a scholarly consensus on this. Today, science, and perhaps especially evolution, is seen as central to modern Humanism, and it is variously embraced and vigorously rejected by people of many religious perspectives. But how well does evolution work as religion? Is, as E.O. Wilson once said, “The evolutionary epic is probably the best myth we will ever have”?
Our speaker
Eugenie C. Scott, a physical anthropologist, humanist, and science education pioneer, is retired as founding Executive Director of The National Center for Science Education: She is a native of Wisconsin and graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee(B.S. and M.S) and the University of Missouri (Ph.D.). She authored two books on issues around the teaching of creationism in public schools and was a consultant for the legal team that won the federal court case that disallowed it. Eugenie has been honored by numerous organizations for her work in science education. She and her husband now reside in California.
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This event is free and is limited to 100 registrants.