In "What are the Ontological Commitments of Evolutionary Biology?" faculty from Coastal Carolina University's Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies will discuss whether evolutionary theory implies that there is a basic hierarchy in the way that things exist. The public forum is set for Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 5 p.m. in Lackey Chapel. Admission is free and open to the public.

The discussion will be led by Eva Kort, lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Carolyn Dillian, associate professor of anthropology, and Tracy Gaskin, biology teaching associate.

The presentation will focus on topics such as the idea of evolutionary biology and whether it makes a difference if evolutionary theory is committed to a hierarchical outlook or not. The presentation will also include some history on the idea of hierarchical positions in philosophy and how the options for current interpretations of evolutionary theory fit with those positions.

Questions that will be discussed include: What does the world of living beings look like from an evolutionary perspective? What is the relationship between a biological understanding of human evolution and an anthropological perspective on human evolution? Is there just one theory of evolution, or are there several?

Lackey Chapel is located at 105 University Drive on the Conway campus. For more information, contact Julinna Oxley at 843-349-6548 or joxley@coastal.edu.