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Title:   The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution
Participants:   Denis Dutton
In conversation with Michael Shermer, the Skeptic Society
Program Date:    1/7/2009
Program length:    1hr
Media Type:   MP3

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Podcast summary

Combining two fascinating and contentious disciplines -- art and evolutionary science -- a philosopher, professor and founder/editor of the popular Arts & Letter Daily, argues that human tastes in art are shaped by Darwinian selection.


Participant(s) Bio

Denis Dutton was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a family of bibliophiles, including brothers Dave and Doug, owners of bookstores in North Hollywood and Brentwood. For over twenty years he has been a professor of the philosophy of art at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Beyond his many publications in philosophy and aesthetics, Denis is founder and editor of the hugely popular website "Arts & Letters Daily," named by The Guardian as the best website in the world.

www.denisdutton.com

Dr. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine, the executive director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech, and adjunct professor of Economics at Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Shermer received his B.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University, M.A. in experimental psychology from California State University, Fullerton, and his Ph.D. in the history of science from Claremont Graduate University.

www.skeptic.com


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ALOUD audio is presented by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and made possible through support provided by The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, City National Bank, KPMG, Donna and Martin J. Wolff, the law firm Arent Fox, and through the support of The Library Associates. Media support provided by KPPC 83.9 FM, KUSC 91.5 FM and KCET. ALOUD theme composed by Larry Karush.
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