Edward O. Wilson: The Social Conquest of Earth -- SOLD OUT

Edward O. Wilson will be discussing The Social Conquest of Earth on Friday, April 20, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater. This Seminar and conversation between Edward O. Wilson and Stewart Brand is presented by The Long Now Foundation and the Exploratorium, with an introduction by Rob Semper, Executive Associate Director of the Exploratorium.

Edward O. Wilson has revolutionized science and inspired the public more often than any other living biologist. Now he is blending his pioneer work on ants with a new perspective on human development to propose a radical reframing of how evolution works.
Sixty million years ago, social insects ruled; then, about 10 thousand years ago, a species of social mammals took over. Named "eusocial" animals by Wilson, both groups mastered the art of encouraging altruism, so that individuals appeared to value group goals over personal goals, even to the extent of dying for the group. While the concept of "kin selection" seemed to explain how such an astonishing phenomenon could evolve, Wilson replaced it with "multi-level selection," incorporating individual selection and group selection. Every human and every human society must learn to manage the perpetual ambiguity and conflict between individual needs and group needs.

E. O. Wilson's current book is The Social Conquest of Earth. His previous works include The Superorganism; The Future of Life; Consilience; Biophilia; Sociobiology; and The Insect Societies.

 Presented by Exploratorium & The Long Now Foundation

Long Now and the Exploratorium members get 1 free ticket and can purchase 1 additional ticket for $10. For your member code, please call the Membership desk at (415) 561-0321.