Beyond Evolution

Anthony O'Hear takes a stand against the fashion for explaining human behaviour in terms of evolution. He maintains, controversially, that while the theory of evolution is successful in explaining the development of the natural world in general, it is of limited value when applied to the human world. Because of our reflectiveness and our rationality we take on goals and ideals which cannot be justified in terms of survival-promotion or reproductive advantage. O'Hear examines the nature of human self-consciousness, and argues that evolutionary theory cannot give a satisfactory account of such distinctive facets of human life as the quest for knowledge, moral sense, and the appreciation of beauty; in these we transcend our biological origins. It is ourrationality that allows each of us to go beyond not only our biological but also our cultural inheritance: as the author says in the Preface, `we are prisoners neither of our genes nor of the ideas we encounter as we each make our personal and individual way through life'.

a valuable addition to the literature on evolutionary philosophy., In that wonderful British tradition of clear, thoughtful and considered philosophy., O'Hear has used formidable learning to bring together a mass of comment bearing on his initial question., O'Hear's wide-ranging discussion clearly characterizes current struggles within the discipline of philosophy and provides, if not a compromise, a resolution to the most central debates. Highly recommended., O'Hear is conciliatory, fair and often interesting.

Anthony O'Hear is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bradford, and Director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy.