Vatican and evolution : A conference to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species
Vatican is hosting a five day conference from March 3 – 7 to mark to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species. Even after 150 years of its publication,“The origin of species”, still being debated mostly in a philosophical and theological perspective.The main aim for the Vatican is to re examine the work of scientific thinkers whose revolutionary ideas challenged religious belief like Galileo and Charles Darwin. The prestigious Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome will play the host for many scientists,philosophers and theologians from around the world ,to discuss the compatibility of Darwin’s theory of evolution and Catholic teaching.
“The design of organisms is not what would be expected from an intelligent engineer, but imperfect and worse,” “Defects, dysfunctions, oddities, waste and cruelty pervade the living world” — Prof Francisco Ayala
The complete list of speakers can be found here and the link for the conference webpage click here
Conference Programme:
Tuesday 3 March 2009
First Session: The Facts that we Know
09:00 a.m. Addresses of the Authorities
10:00 a.m. Simon Conway Morris: Paleontological Evidences
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
11:15 a.m. Werner Arber: Bio-Molecular Evidences
12:00 a.m. Douglas J. Futuyma: Taxonomic Issues
12:45 p.m. Discussion
01:30 p.m. End of the Session and Lunch
Second Session: Evolutionary Mechanisms I
03:30 p.m. Jean Gayon: History of the Evolution Theories
04:15 p.m. Francisco J. Ayala: The Standard Theory
05:00 p.m. Tea Time
05:30 p.m. Lynn Margulis: Symbiosis
06:15 p.m. Jeffrey L. Feder:The Speciation Problem
07:00 p.m. Discussion
07:30 p.m. End of the Session and Dinner
Wednesday 4 March
Third Session: Evolutionary Mechanisms II
09:00 a.m. Scott F. Gilbert: Evo-Devo
09:45 a.m. Stuart Kauffman: Complexity and Evolution
10:30 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Robert Ulanowicz: Evolution and Environment
11:45 a.m. Stuart A. Newman: A “pattern language” for evolution and development of animal form
12:30 p.m. Discussion
01.00 p.m. End of the Session and Lunch
Fourth Session: The Origin of Man
03:00 p.m. Giorgio Manzi: Darwin’s Expectations on Human Evolution
03:45 p.m. Olga Rickards-Gianfranco Biondi: Molecular Approach
04:30 p.m. Tea Time
05:00 p.m. Yves Coppens: Paleontological Approach
05:45 p.m. Fiorenzo Facchini: Paleontological Approach in the Hominization and Possible Philosophical Implications
06:30 p.m. Robin Dunbar: Paleontological Data
07.15 p.m. Discussion
07.30 p.m. End of the Session and Dinner
Thursday 5 March
Fifth Session: Some Anthropological Questions About Evolution
09:00 a.m. Anne Dambricourt Malassé: Some Paleontological Attempts at Defining Humanity
09:45 a.m. Colin Renfrew (Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn):The Concept of Evolution as applied to the Development of Human Cultures
10:30 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Ludovico Galleni: Moving Towards Humankind?
11:45 a.m. David S. Wilson: Some Philosophical Considerations on Human Emergence and En-Culturation
12:30 p.m. Discussion
01:30 p.m. End of the Session and Lunch
Sixth Session: Philosophical Aspects of Evolution I
03:00 p.m. Juergen Mittelstrass: Philosophical Introduction
03:45 p.m. Dominique Lambert: Epistemological Problems of Evolution Theories
04:30 p.m. Tea Time
05:00 p.m. Elliott Sober: Philosophy and Biology
05:45 p.m. Vittorio Hösle: Why Do We Not Get Rid of Teleological Principles?
06:30 p.m. Discussion
07.30 p.m. End of the Session and Dinner
Friday 6 March
Seventh Session: Philosophical Aspects of Evolution II
09:00 a.m. Card. Georges Cottier: Metaphysical Sense of Creation and Evolution
09:45 a.m. David J. Depew: Accident, Adaptation and Teleology in Aristotle and Darwin
10:30 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Massimo Stanzione: Philosophical Issues of Evolution Theory
11:45 a.m. Ronald Numbers: Historical Background of “Intelligent Design”
12:30 p.m. Discussion
01:00 p.m. End of the Session and Lunch
Eighth Session: Theological Aspects of Evolution I
03:00 p.m. André Wénin: The Theme of Creation in the Old Testament
03:45 p.m. Jean-Michel Maldamé: Theology and Evolution Theories
04:30 p.m. Tea Time
05:00 p.m. Jacques Arnould: Creationism, “Intelligent Design” and Evolution
05:45 p.m. Georges Chantraine: Theological Vision of Evolution by Teilhard de Chardin
06:30 p.m. Discussion
07:30 p.m. End of the Session and Dinner
Saturday 7 March
Ninth Session: Theological Aspects of Evolution II
09:00 p.m. William R. Stoeger: Emergence and Finalism
09:45 p.m. Rafael Martinez: The Reception of Evolutionary Theories in the Catholic Church
10:30 p.m. Coffee Break
11:00 p.m. Robert Russell: Theological Debate around Evolution
11:45 p.m. General Conclusions
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