#1086 John Odling-Smee - Niche Construction: How Life Contributes to Its Own Evolution

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Apr 18, 2025

John Odling-Smee, Emeritus Research Fellow at Oxford and author of 'Niche Construction', dives into how life shapes its own evolution. He discusses the pivotal role of niche construction in ecology, highlighting how organisms like birds and their behaviors mold their environments. The conversation challenges traditional evolutionary views, incorporating concepts like adaptive know-how and even cultural evolution's impact on genetics. From thermodynamics to ecosystem dynamics, Odling-Smee offers a fresh perspective on the interconnectedness of life and its surroundings.

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INSIGHT

Life Opposes Thermodynamic Disorder

Life resists the second law of thermodynamics by maintaining order despite entropy.
This resistance is fundamental for survival and reproduction in living organisms.

INSIGHT

Life as Goal-Seeking Systems

Life is defined by active, purposeful goal-seeking systems.
Organisms prioritize resisting entropy to ultimately achieve survival and reproduction.

INSIGHT

Evolution Informs Adaptive Know-How

Evolution informs organisms with adaptive know-how to interact with environments.
Organisms need information to exploit resources and defend themselves effectively.

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Dr. John Odling-Smee is Emeritus Research Fellow at the Mansfield College at the University of Oxford. Prior to retirement, he lectured in Biological Anthropology at Oxford. He is the author of Niche Construction: How Life Contributes to Its Own Evolution.

In this episode, we focus on Niche Construction. We start by talking about physics and the second law of thermodynamics, what life is, the origin of life on Earth, living organisms as active and purposeful systems, and information and knowledge-gaining processes. We then discuss niche construction, how organisms coevolve with their environments, the origin and evolution of ecosystems, teleology, and developmental and sociocultural processes in social species. Finally, we talk about how humans are currently contributing to the evolution of life on Earth, and the extended evolutionary synthesis.

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