Evolution and Moral Progress (Forum for Philosophy)

It now seems hard to deny that at least some of our moral beliefs have been shaped by natural selection. What does this mean for the objectivity of ethics and the possibility of moral progress? Does evolution mean that morality is an illusion? Are we locked into ‘tribal’ ways of thinking, or is a more inclusive morality possible? Our panel will consider the philosophical implications of the evolution of morality.

Speakers
J. McKenzie Alexander, Professor of Philosophy (LSE)
Allen Buchanan, James B. Duke Professor of Philosophy (Duke University) and Professor of Philosophy of International Law at the Dickson Poon School of Law (KCL)
Catherine Wilson, Anniversary Professor of Philosophy (York University)

Chair
Jonathan Birch, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method (LSE) and Forum for European Philosophy Fellow