Jun 10, 2019
It is widely understood that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution completely revolutionized the study of biology. Yet, according to David Sloan Wilson, the Darwinian revolution won’t be truly complete until it is applied more broadly—to everything associated with the words “human,” “culture,” and “policy.” Wilson took Town Hall’s stage for a conversation with political activist Nick Hanauer. Together they explored the ways an evolutionary worldview can provide a practical toolkit for understanding not only genetic evolution but also the fast-paced changes that are having an impact on our world and ourselves. Wilson offered us a series of engaging and insightful examples—from the breeding of hens to the timing of cataract surgeries to the organization of an automobile plant. Join Wilson and Hanauer to learn how we can become wise managers of evolutionary processes to solve the problems of our age at all scales—from the efficacy of our groups to our well-being as individuals to our stewardship of the planet.
David Sloan Wilson is an evolutionary biologist with a special interest in human biocultural evolution. He is the SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University. Wilson is the author of Evolution for Everyone, The Neighborhood Project, Does Altruism Exist?, and Darwin’s Cathedral. He is the president of the Evolution Institute and editor in chief of the institute’s magazine, This View of Life.
Nick Hanauer is a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, and the founder of Civic Ventures, a Seattle-based public policy incubator. He has worked with over 30 companies as a founder, manager or financier since 1982, and serves on the boards of many public and private institutions. He has served as a director for the Democracy Alliance, and hosts his own podcast Pitchfork Economics.
Recorded live at The Forum at Town Hall Seattle on May 20, 2019.