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The Atkinson Memorial Lecture is an annual distinguished lecture series established in 2018 in memory of Professor Sir Tony Atkinson, jointly by the Global Priorities Institute (GPI) and the Department of Economics at Oxford University. The aim is to encourage research among academic economists on topics related to global prioritisation - using evidence and reason to figure out the most effective ways to improve the world.

Speaker: Ingela Alger (Toulouse School of Economics and Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse)

Title: Evolutionary foundations of morality and altruism — recent advances

Abstract: “Survival of the fittest” is often taken to imply that human life must be the Hobbesian “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” However, recent theoretical analyses of the evolution of preferences guiding behaviors of individuals show, on the contrary, that natural selection promotes a particular form of preferences, which may be interpreted as implying both a Kantian moral concern and an other-regarding concern. The talk will provide an account of the ultimate forces behind this result, and discuss implications of the said preferences.

More information on the lecture can be found here.

Please note that this is a hybrid event and that there are online and in-person registration options. Registered online attendees will receive a link to watch the lecture closer to the date.

All in-person attendees are invited to a drinks reception at the Economics Department following the Atkinson Memorial Lecture. GPI is also organising a Lecture Dinner and facilitating the opportunity to hold in-person meetings with Ingela. If you are interested in joining the dinner or in-person meetings, please email gpi-office@philosophy.ox.ac.uk.

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