Podcasts

On the Philosophy of Agency and Evolution

 Just like with physics, in biology it is perfectly possible to do most respectable work without thinking much about philosophy, but there are unmistakably foundational questions where philosophy becomes crucial. When do we say that a collection of matter (or bits) is alive? When does it become an agent, capable of making decisions? What are the origins of morality and altruistic behavior? We talk with one of the world's leading experts, Samir Okasha, about the biggest issues in modern philosophy of biology. 

Does a porpoise have a purpose? Agency and goals in evolution (Ep 115)

What is an agent, and does an organism have to be conscious to be one? How does organismal agency affect evolution?

In this episode, we talk with Samir Okasha, a Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Bristol. Samir studies fundamental philosophical questions in evolutionary biology, most notably how selection acts on various levels of biological organization. Our discussion focuses on his book “Agents and Goals in Evolution,” in which he unpacks various definitions of agency and outlines their evolutionary implications. We talk about whether genes and groups of individuals can be agents, whether agency is heritable, where variation in agency comes from, and the relationship between agency and adaptation.

02.2024

Samir Okasha FBA, is a Professor of Philosophy of Science at University of Bristol. He was appointed a Fellow of the British Academy in 2018.

Okasha is a winner of Lakatos Award for his book Evolution and the Levels of Selection. From 2008 to 2011, he was Principal Investigator on a major AHRC-funded research project, ‘Evolution, Cooperation and Rationality’, in collaboration with Professor Ken Binmore, which led to a series of publications and an edited volume Evolution and Rationality.

From 2011 to 2016, Okasha was Principal Investigator on a research project entitled ‘Darwinism and the Theory of Rational Choice’, funded by a European Research Council Advanced Investigator Award. The aim of the project was to study connections, formal and conceptual, between Darwinian evolutionary theory and the theory of rationality. This culminated in a book, Agents and Goals in Evolution, published by OUP in 2018.

2023

Evolution and the Philosophy of biology

Samir Okasha is a professor of the philosophy of science whose work focuses on evolutionary theory and the philosophy of biology. He’s a fellow of the British Academy, and the author of several interesting and very accessible books on philosophy and science, including Agents and Goals in Evolution, and an introductory book to the philosophy of biology.

In this conversation, Samir and Matthew explore several topics at the intersection of science and philosophy, including: 

•  The difference between philosophical and scientific questions
•  The limits of human knowledge
•  Progress in science and philosophy
• Evolutionary psychology and the foundations of social and cultural norms
• Altruism, Morality

10.2023

Philosophy of Science: a very short introduction

In this episode, Samir Okasha introduces the philosophy of science, a field that looks to address key questions such as the issue of scientific change and ethics in science.

Samir Okasha is Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Bristol, where he has taught since 2003. He currently serves as Associate Editor of Philosophy of Science, and has previously served as Associate Editor for the European Journal for the Philosophy of Science.

10.2022