Burner Biology
At this year's Burning Man, four evolutionary biologists came together to discuss the deeper issues of evolution. Does it have a direction? Can we use it to inform social action? What form will it take if medicine conquers aging? The result was inspired discussion on the nature of our changing reality.
My first public science lecture, "Does Evolution Have A Direction" - followed by an extended conversation between myself and fellow biologists Cory Bishop, Jason Hodin, and Ruben Valas, can be downloaded for free (with plenty of post-game notes and links, if you care to go down the rabbit hole) click here.
Thumbnail image: "2009 09 07 Burning Man (Hookah Dome - Random Rab, Radiohiro, Eskmo, Welder, Thievery Corporation)" (detail) by Michael Garfield
- 11-19-09
- Michael Garfield's blog
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Hundredth Monkey
Really interesting stuff. Thanks for the link.
Shame the so called 'hundredth monkey effect' is still being given serious attention. Though it was part of a question from the audience not a view supported by the panel.
It rests upon very iffy research originally made popular by Lyall Watson. The story has mutated to the point of it becoming urban legend and a New Age truism.
Because it is unfounded it has become an easy target for sceptics of 'morphic resonance'. Rupert Sheldrake himself recognises this and prefers other more reliable and convincing experimental evidence.
Clarifications
I've been engaged in quite an extensive dialogue with a few other RS readers about these talks and a few places where I erred on the side of credulity instead of skepticism.
If you look to the notes on the talk's download page, you'll now find a link to information about how the "hundredth monkey" anecdote has been discredited, as well as how NASA denies ever working with the "sun eater" Hira Ratan Manek...but I've also corrected statements by some of the other panelists and provided some citations for my claims about racial memory and the irreversible directionality of evolution.
I am very happy to discuss any of this with interested parties...the best way to learn is by teaching! My email is obvious on the site below.
Michael Garfield
(live painter, visionary musician, and rogue biologist)