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| Richard Dawkins discusses progressive evolution |
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by Michael Castillo
Richard Dawkins, a reader in zoology and fellow of New College at Oxford University, spoke in the Grand Hall of the Student Center on Monday. His topic, "Is Evolution Progressive?" allowed him to discuss issues currently in debate in the evolutionary biology community. Dawkins is widely known for his best-selling books The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker and River Out of Eden. "[He spoke in the speech] much the same way he wrote in The Selfish Gene ," Andy Shirey, a Lovett College junior, said. "A lot of what he was saying were things that probably have occurred to other people, but he articulated these thoughts fluently and coherently." In his talk, Dawkins summarized the two extremes of evolutionary progression that are currently being debated by scholars. He rejected both extremes and presented his own definition."His definition of progress is right on the money, I thought. Trying to say evolution is progressing to humanity is wrong, but evolution is still progressive," Andrew Eisenberg, a Jones College junior, said. The speech was attended by both Rice students and other members of the community. Colatte Dornelly, a University of Houston student, was one of the non-Rice people present. "I thought it was pretty interesting. I'm a communications major, and that was the first speech about Darwinism that I really listened to," she said. -- Mike Castillo
This item appeared in the News section of the March 14, 1997 issue. |
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