Darwin's Afterlives: The Making and Remaking of a Historical StoryIn English
Participants: Janet Brown
Talking about Science in the Twenty-First Century
A series of meetings moderated by Oren Harman
Science and technology have never been so powerful, and so ferociously under attack
In this series we will meet leading scientists, artists, philosophers, historians and technologists who care deeply about the role of science in culture, and who are grappling creatively, each in their own way, with the unique challenge of our times: the difficulty of maintaining a respectful, even celebratory, approach to science and technology while at the same time remaining critical of the enterprise and attempting to demarcate its proper boundary.
In the series we will encounter a bounty of topics, including brain science and the study of consciousness; the evolution of language and identity; the Hebrew Bible, archaeology, and nationalism; the future of robotics; the history of “Truth”; higher education systems; science museums and science education; technology in film and in music; global warming and energy; the politics of algorithms, and more. We will ask: What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom, information and understanding, and why does it matter? Is it really necessary to separate science from politics? And what are the innovative ways in which science and technology may lend meaning to our lives?
The talks will be followed by a discussion with the moderator, Professor Oren Harman, Chair of the Graduate Program in Science Technology and Society at Bar-Ilan University, and author.