Stephen Pinker & Adam Gopnik | LIVE from the NYPL

"How Far Can Darwin Take Us?" Adama Gopnik in Conversation with Steven Pinker, LIVE from the NYPL, May 20, 2009.

Adam Gopnik, author of "Angels & Ages," "A Short Book About Darwin," "Lincoln and Modern Life" and Steven Pinker, author of "The Blank Slate" and many other works, discuss a fundamental question: How far can Darwin take us as a guide to why we are the way we are? Both outspoken appreciators of Darwin, Adam Gopnik and Steven Pinker compare their visions—perhaps complementary, perhaps contrasting—of what Darwin's legacy is, on the two hundredth anniversary of Darwin's birth.

Filming & Editing: The A/V Gang
Audio: One Dream Sound

[rhondah]

Thanks for posting. Great conversation.

[tcorp]

@Mr88playmaker With DNA, the information IS the medium. It's nothing more than a molecular chain. What you consider information is simply the oder or combinations of amino acids as they have accumulated through time by the natural selection of their consequences. It's really not that hard to understand.

[tcorp]

@Mr88playmaker You're confusing results of emergence with purpose. It's just not how the laws of physics work I'm afraid. I also notice you're having trouble comprehending the time scales involved in abiogenesis and the progression of complexity. Furthermore, simply because we can gather accumulated data and information from nature, doesn't mean the data or information was implanted by an alien intelligence. Natural processes suffice on their own for the emergence and continuation of complexity.

[tcorp]

@Mr88playmaker Gods? I'm sorry, I live in Europe. Most of us gave up believing in gods and goblins as operators in the world many centuries ago. Science and education has progressed quit a bit since you left this side of the pond. Hopefully, one day your education standards will follow suit. For example, geocentricism was defeated a long time ago here. Do you still hold the religious belief that the sun revolves around the Earth over there? Also, where do you stand on curses and witchcraft?

[tcorp]

@Mr88playmaker You're assuming there's intelligence in DNA. I don't exactly know where you take this assumption from, but if you had any understanding of chemistry, biology or genetics you would know that there is no intelligence in DNA patterns. Complexity does not require any intelligence. You can look at sand dunes and conclude their geometry is complex, but it's just wind blowing on sand. Natural processes spring forth complexity. I'm afraid your view of genetics isn't very unscientific.