Darwin's 'sacred cause'

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• Friday 13 February 2009
• 8.00pm-9.00pm
• Lecturers: Prof James Moore

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A MEMBERS ONLY EVENT

Why did Charles Darwin, a rich and impeccably upright gentleman, go out of his way to develop privately a subversive image of human evolution in 1837-39? Why did he pursue the subject with tenacity for three decades before publishing The Descent of Man in 1871? A radical reassessment of the basis of Darwin's achievement provides the answer. In the standard myth, Darwin was a heroic genius discovering gems of truth beyond the vision of ordinary mortals. He was a great scientist getting on with a scientist's proper job, not a Victorian naturalist with a consuming moral passion. But today we need to examine the circumstances that made it possible for Darwin to craft a theory from available cultural resources. Underpinning his work on human origins was a belief in racial brotherhood rooted in the greatest moral movement of his age, for the abolition of slavery. For abolitionists, the human races were members of one family, with a common ancestry. Darwin extended the 'common descent' image to the rest of life, making not just the races, but all races kin. Darwin's science wasn't the dispassionate practice of textbook caricature; it was driven by human needs and foibles. Even our most vaunted theories may be fostered by humanitarian concern.

Tickets for this event entitle you to one complimentary drink at the post-event reception. Please exchange your ticket for a drinks voucher on arrival. If you would like any further refreshments, please do visit our new restaurant and bar where members are entitled to a 10% discount.