James Lennox & Yaron Discuss Aristotle, Objectivism & Evolution | Yaron Interviews
Channel: Yaron Brook
Date: 2023-07-14

Dr. Lennox, emeritus professor at University of Pittsburgh, is a renowned expert in the history and philosophy of biology, publishing extensively in the field. His books include Aristotle’s Philosophy of Biology: Studies in the Origins of Life Science, and, most recently, Aristotle on Inquiry. His other primary research focus is Charles Darwin. 
 
Dr. Lennox has also contributed to scholarly books on Rand’s philosophy, including A Companion to Ayn Rand, Concepts and Their Role in Knowledge: Reflections on Objectivist Epistemology, and Metaethics, Egoism, and Virtue: Studies in Ayn Rand’s Normative Theory (he was also co-editor, with Allan Gottelf, of the latter two). 

https://www.hps.pitt.edu/people/james...
https://jglennox.com/

00:00 Intro
00:50 James Lennox
02:30 Ayn Rand
08:55 Aristotle
13:43 Aristotle's Biology
20:58 Philosophy of Biology
28:40 Artificial Intelligence
30:15 Interest in Biology
34:01 Assessment of the field
38:43 Darwin
47:12 State of Evolutionary Biology 
53:55 Agency
57:56 Evolutionary Psychology

Live Questions:
1:05:30 I loved your talk on the inductive origins of Darwin! Thanks for that.
1:05:40 Dr. Lennox, I loved your OCON talk on Darwin!
1:05:59 I've heard it argued that "human emotions evolved to enable successful group behavior" Is there some truth to this? Although, human emotions may also destroy group behavior. Emotions do not always create a positive response.
1:10:33 Consciousness and the ability to experience qualia are very expensive capabilities—what basic problem did they solve for that made them viable evolutionary paths?
1:11:46 What are you thoughts on the concept of the “Anthropocene”?
1:13:18 How prevalent are teleological views of evolution today? Do statements like "X evolved to do Y" imply a teleological view, or is such phrasing just used by convention. Maybe I'm reading too much into the "to". Thanks
1:17:55 Is Objectivism prevalent in the study of evolution or in the Sciences more broadly? Do you think Science eventually removes all doubt in most humans that there is no god?
1:21:41 - Am I understanding A correctly to say that an actuality is prior to a potentiality, that what actually is is prior to what potentially could be, and thus as A said “Man is prior to seed” then the chicken came before the egg?
1:24:13 - Am I understanding A correctly to say that when he says there are 3 kinds of substances, the sensible, the elemental, and the immovable, that the immovable are the principles of the first two?
1:25:31 Do you have any thoughts on the Popperian philosophy of science?
1:29:45 A and his peers thought of political parties as a disease. Has there ever been a discussion among your peers to consider the removal of political parties from politics?
1:30:22 What are your thoughts on evolutionary psychology?
1:30:31 "Life is about balance, nothing to the extreme is great". What's wrong with this formulation?
1:31:50 Was Aristotle a misogynist?
1:33:25 Could you talk about the value of Aristotle’s politics? How did he impact the Enlightenment philosophers?
1:34:26 Dr. Lennox, what are your thoughts on the current political landscape in America from a philosopher’s point of view?
1:36:35 Are the Thumb and Coccyx signs of human evolution?
1:37:08 Does evolution select 4 survival or reproduction?
1:39:20 Which one of your published works are you most proud of?
1:45:10 In NE, A concludes that “we must make ourselves immortal.” He meant this ethically but given life extension technologies and biotech would the doubling or tripling of the human lifespan conflict with A’s biological views?
1:46:41 What is the philosopher of science’s view of RFKjr and the antivax movement?
1:47:03 What is your evaluation of Richard Dawkins’s book The Selfish Gene?
1:48:53 You mentioned Darwin's thought experiments, do you have recommended reading on this topic? Is there an example that might expand on what is interesting about his use of them?

1:53:32 Outro

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