Learn about ‘The Natural History of Morality’ at UA’s Next ALLELE Lecture

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Dr. Robert C. Richardson, a professor of philosophy at the University of Cincinnati, will present his lecture, “The Natural History of Morality,” Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Biology Auditorium on The University of Alabama campus.

Richardson is the fourth in a series of six speakers from the 2009-2010 Alabama Lectures on Life’s Evolution, known as ALLELE.  The lectures are made possible, in large part, by private gifts from Lou Perry of La Jolla, Calif., Eric Hopkins of Austin, Texas and The Barbara and Frank Peters Foundation of Corona del Mar, Calif. Richardson’s visit is co-sponsored by the UA department of philosophy.

“His lecture is certain to be fascinating,” said Dr. Chase B. Wrenn, an associate professor in UA’s department of philosophy. “I expect it will shed light on how evolutionary theory can help us to understand our sense of right and wrong as a natural phenomenon.”

Richardson’s research interests include issues in philosophy of science, philosophy of biology and cognitive science.

In addition to being the Charles Phelps Taft Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cincinnati, Richardson is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Richardson received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, and both his graduate and doctorate degrees from the University of Chicago.

Richardson has held several visiting professor appointments, the most recent in 2008-2009 as the Gervinus Fellow at the Universität Osnabrück in Germany. The second edition of Richardson’s 1993 book, “Discovering Complexity: Decomposition and Localization as Strategies in Scientific Research,” which he co-authored with William Bechtel, will be released in 2010.

Along with private support, the ALLELE lecture series is supported by UA’s College of Arts and Sciences and the departments of anthropology, biological sciences, geological sciences, philosophy and psychology.

The lectures are designed for a non-technical audience and are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.bama.ua.edu/~evolution/alleleindex.html.

The ALLELE lecture series is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.