Ik denk te kunnen komen. Verwacht je enige bijdrage van mij?
Wat is er nog nodig om van dit stuk een goede publicatie te maken?
Jan
At 17:40 14/03/2005, you wrote:
Please distribute...
You are hereby invited to our seventh "Evolution, Complexity and Cognition (ECCO)" seminar of 2005:
r-K Selection and Human Development:
from quantity to quality of life
Francis Heylighen & Jan Bernheim
(ECCO, VUB)
Place: room 3C204 (building C, 3rd floor), VUB campus Oefenplein
Time: Friday, March 18, at 17:30 h.
Abstract: Evolutionary fitness is defined as the number of an organism's offspring likely to survive, apparently privileging quantity, rather than quality, of life. However, models of population growth distinguish between "r-selection", that occurs in unpredictable and risky environments, and "K-selection", characterizing stable environments. If offspring has a high probability to be killed by predators, disease, or other uncontrollable factors, the safest bet is to produce as many of them as quickly as possible (r). If offspring has plenty of chances to mature, but needs all its strength and intelligence to efficiently exploit scarce resources, it is wiser to aim for quality (K). The choice between the two strategies depends on early experience: people raised in a stressful environment exhibit typical r-traits, such as many and early sexual contacts, large families, risk-taking, and short life expectancy; in a safe environment, they will typically have lower fertility and higher life expectancy and invest in long-term benefits such as education. Socio-economic development with its accompanying demographic transition and drive to maximize quality-of-life can be viewed as a shift from an r to a K strategy by humanity.
Further info: F. Heylighen & J. Bernheim (2003): From quantity to quality of life (ECCO working paper)
ECCO seminar programme following weeks
- Klaas Chielens: Empirical measurement of memetic selection criteria
- Laetitia De Jaegher: The need for new systems of governance in a complex, changing society
- Nathalie Gontier: A systems/symbiotic view of evolution
- Nick Deschacht: Complexity Theory and Marxism
ECCO seminars normally take place each Friday at 17h30 in room 3C204 of the VUB Campus Etterbeek. Everyone interested is welcome. The seminars are very interactive, with small groups (about 8-10 people). The intention is to discuss in depth the research being proposed, and to look for interdisciplinary connections with other ECCO-related themes. Seminars last about two hours, after which the remaining participants go to take a drink or a snack in the Opinio Café on the campus, to continue the discussion in a more relaxed setting.
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