Biocivilisations

What is life? Many scientists believe life can be reduced to ‘mechanistic’ factors, such as genes and information codes. Yet there is a growing number of scientists, philosophers and artists who reject this view.

In this fascinating in-conversation, Dr Vandana Shiva and Dr Predrag Slijepčević will discuss why we must challenge the current scientific paradigm, showing that if there is a way to reduce life to a single principle, that principle must acknowledge the creativity of life, turning genetic determinism on its head. Dr Slijepčević’s new book, Biocivlisations: A New Look at the Science of Life, shows how bacteria, amoebas, plants, insects, birds, whales, elephants and countless other species demonstrate elements of what we know as ‘civlilisation’– complex communication, agriculture, science, art, medicine and more, and a term we usually reserve for humans, but which is evident across a number of species. Dr Slijepčević reminds us that life existed without humans for more than 99.99% of the Earth’s existence, and that there is much we can learn from the civilisations that came before us.