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Participation in evolution and sustainability

Clark, Thomas and Clark, Eric LU (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)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
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}},
}