CANCELLED: Thomas Hall Lecture: “Reviving the Hopeful Monster: Richard Goldschmidt’s Evolutionary Heresies” - Michael Dietrich

Richard Goldschmidt was one of the most controversial biologists of the twentieth century. Rather than fade from view, however, Goldschmidt’s work and reputation has persisted in the biological community long after he has. How should we explain Goldschmidt’s longevity?  Are revivals of Goldschmidt as an evolutionary heretic in the 1970s and 1980s historically accurate or selective reinventions which are useful to contemporary scientists? This is the annual Thomas S. Hall Lecture. A reception will follow in the Biology Commons.

Michael Dietrich is a professor of the history and philosophy of science at the University of Pittsburgh. His research concerns developments in 20th-century genetics, evolutionary biology, and developmental biology, with a special emphasis on scientific controversies.