Richard Dawkins will talk on “The Purpose of Purpose”
at the McCasland Field House, University of Oklahoma, Norman
Friday, March 6, 2009
Free and open to the public
7:00 pm start. Please be early.
World famous zoologist Richard Dawkins is visiting the University of Oklahoma as a part of the “Darwin 2009” events celebrating and commemorating the contribuitons of the British naturalist Charles Darwin to modern science. Dawkins has agreed to come to Oklahoma to take part in the ongoing series of events that is aimed at raising awareness of the importance of Darwin’s work to our current understanding of the richness and diversity of life. Barry Weaver, an OU Professor of Geology who spearheded the initiative to invite Dawkins to campus on behalf of the “Darwin 2009” Committee said that OU is hosting perhaps the biggest and highest profile series of events in the world, “it all adds up to arguably the biggest and best Darwin celebration taking place this year” he added. Richard Dawkins’ visit to campus is a significant part of the year-long series of events that the committee has planned. For more information on future events visit.[here]
“The Purpose of Purpose”
Dawkins’ Friday evening lecture “The Purpose of Purpose” will focus on the our propensity to see purpose in nature. Dawkins will address the differences between the appearance of apparent purpose that is the result of the non-teleological processes of natural selection and the purposeful actions of human agents. He will argue that our tendencey to see purpose in the world, as well as our own ability to act with purpose, are the product of evoltuionary adapatation.
Dawkin’s lecture in Minneapolis Minnesota earlier this week drew in excess of 4000 people in freezing temperatures. Those eager to see Dawkins here in Norman can anticipate a much more ammenable climate! Doors open at 5:30.
Keep up with the Dawkins visit to OU or any other of the “Darwin 2009” events at OU by clicking here.