Darwin addresses modern problems

Over the next two months the University will celebrate Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of _The Origin of Species_ through a series of seminars dedicated to the the man himself and evolutionary theory in general.

Hosted by the Biological Sciences Department the highlights include Oxford University’s Stephen Oppenheimer’s thoughts on “Human Origins in Africa”, Warwick’s own Hugh Woodland discussing the “Evolution of Animal Development”, and the racy “Darwin on Sex” by Tim Birkhead of Sheffield University. The seminars discuss the latest developments in evolutionary theory including HIV and evolution.

Professor John Ellis who is organising the celebration explained that Darwin “has helped to change the way in which we view the place of humanity in the universe.”

However the seminars’ focus on the most recent developments in evolutionary theory, Professor Hugh Woodland explains, is because “in one sense Darwin is totally unimportant — if he had not existed we would undoubtedly have a theory of evolution and it would be central to our understanding of the natural world.

“But still, evolution is irrevocably entwined with Darwin and his achievements in providing a theoretical basis for understanding the natural world that is unequalled. Celebrating his life gives biologists a chance to re-examine evolution, about which there are still many historical and mechanistic unknowns.”

Warwick Atheists have welcomed the celebration. President Stuart Pilbrow told the _Boar_, “Evolution was the first time we could really explain where we had come from without resorting to supernatural explanations. Evolution is as much a fact nowadays as the laws of gravity.”

The Christian Union was unable to comment on the issue. As one member explained, the “Christian Union is made of students from all kinds of churches and is not a church itself, so they don’t have a official Christian Union position.” However individual members were pleased. “Science is not incompatible with Christianity. It can show us how God works,” said Michael Tweed.

Sophie Lister, another Christian Union member, added “In evolution some Christians see the wonderful way God designed and created and it helps in their understanding of God. But the real question for me is not the ‘how?’ of creation but the ‘why?’.”

There is a full list of seminars available on the Students’ Union website. Professor John Ellis’s page on the Warwick University website has an accompanying online lecture “How Science Works: Evolution”.