Participation in evolution and sustainability
(2012) In Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 37(4). p.563-577- Abstract
- The modern synthesis of genetics with evolution slanted our understanding of evolution and of ourselves by rejecting Darwin’s view of animals as participating in their own evolution. Defining evolution in terms of genetics, the modern synthesis indulges excessive individualism and distorted self-images as self-made. At the same time, such gene-centred thought, evoking images of master molecules making us who we are, hollows out volition and so also moral concerns and political alternatives. Drawing on the geography of thought, we argue that stubbornly tacit preformationist biological thought reflects and anchors social processes that limit adaptability in reaching toward sustainable living. We appeal for leveraging sustainability efforts... (More)
- The modern synthesis of genetics with evolution slanted our understanding of evolution and of ourselves by rejecting Darwin’s view of animals as participating in their own evolution. Defining evolution in terms of genetics, the modern synthesis indulges excessive individualism and distorted self-images as self-made. At the same time, such gene-centred thought, evoking images of master molecules making us who we are, hollows out volition and so also moral concerns and political alternatives. Drawing on the geography of thought, we argue that stubbornly tacit preformationist biological thought reflects and anchors social processes that limit adaptability in reaching toward sustainable living. We appeal for leveraging sustainability efforts by affirming in theory and in the public square an open image of human nature that recognises the participation of our ancestors in becoming who we are, obliging people to make their history together. Achieving the collective self-regulation sustainability requires may depend on correcting slanted reasoning about ourselves. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2430989
- author
- Clark, Thomas and Clark, Eric LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2012
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- evolutionary biology, genetics, human geography, human nature, Darwin, sustainability
- in
- Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers
- volume
- 37
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 563 - 577
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000308432600008
- scopus:84865970058
- ISSN
- 0020-2754
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1475-5661.2011.00492.x
- project
- LUCID - Lund University Centre of Excellence for Integration of Social and Natural Dimensions of Sustainability
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- e2698e3a-4431-49d9-a077-d1369aed931a (old id 2430989)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 09:40:17
- date last changed
- 2022-04-23 21:44:13
@article{e2698e3a-4431-49d9-a077-d1369aed931a, abstract = {{The modern synthesis of genetics with evolution slanted our understanding of evolution and of ourselves by rejecting Darwin’s view of animals as participating in their own evolution. Defining evolution in terms of genetics, the modern synthesis indulges excessive individualism and distorted self-images as self-made. At the same time, such gene-centred thought, evoking images of master molecules making us who we are, hollows out volition and so also moral concerns and political alternatives. Drawing on the geography of thought, we argue that stubbornly tacit preformationist biological thought reflects and anchors social processes that limit adaptability in reaching toward sustainable living. We appeal for leveraging sustainability efforts by affirming in theory and in the public square an open image of human nature that recognises the participation of our ancestors in becoming who we are, obliging people to make their history together. Achieving the collective self-regulation sustainability requires may depend on correcting slanted reasoning about ourselves.}}, author = {{Clark, Thomas and Clark, Eric}}, issn = {{0020-2754}}, keywords = {{evolutionary biology; genetics; human geography; human nature; Darwin; sustainability}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{4}}, pages = {{563--577}}, publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}}, series = {{Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers}}, title = {{Participation in evolution and sustainability}}, url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5386144/2796176.pdf}}, doi = {{10.1111/j.1475-5661.2011.00492.x}}, volume = {{37}}, year = {{2012}}, }