Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

206 | Simon Conway Morris on Evolution, Convergence, and Theism

Aug 8, 2022

Simon Conway Morris, an emeritus professor of evolutionary paleobiology at Cambridge University, dives into fascinating discussions on evolution and its myths. He argues for the power of evolutionary convergence, asserting that adaptations eventually prevail even after mass extinctions. The conversation touches on the intersection of faith and science, exploring how theistic views can coexist with evolution. Additionally, Morris critiques traditional evolutionary narratives and highlights the complexities of cognitive abilities in humans versus animals, challenging common perceptions.

01:16:59

Episode guests

Simon Conway Morris

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

The Controversies of Evolution: Randomness vs. Adaptation

2min

Exploring Evolution Through Adaptation and Faith

3min

Reevaluating Evolutionary Narratives

12min

Exploring the Intersection of Genetics and Organism Morphology

5min

Evolutions of Complexity and Interdependency

16min

Learning and Teaching in the Animal Kingdom

4min

Understanding Cognition: Humans vs. Animals

14min

Beyond Earth: Life, Faith, and Science

22min

Evolution by natural selection is one of the rare scientific theories that resonates within the wider culture as much as it does within science. But as much as people know about evolution, we also find the growth of corresponding myths. Simon Conway Morris is a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist who’s new book is From Extraterrestrials to Animal Minds: Six Myths of Evolution. He is known as a defender of evolutionary convergence and adaptationism — even when there is a mass extinction, he argues, the resulting shake-up simply accelerates the developments evolution would have made anyway. We talk about this, and also about the possible role of God in an evolutionary worldview.

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Simon Conway Morris received his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Cambridge. He is currently an emeritus professor of evolutionary paleobiology in the Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge. Among his awards are the Walcott Medal of the National Academy of Sciences and the Lyell Medal of the Geological Society of London.

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