Last week I moderated the Science Cafe with two scientists and a humanist. It was one of the most interesting Science Cafes we have ever hosted because sex is always an interesting subject matter. The night discussion was about Sex: Why Bother? Evolution Mysteries
In partnership with HoustonPBSOne of the greatest mysteries of biology is why humans need a sexual act to reproduce while some organisms such as bacteria do not, and while others, like plant lice, can reproduce with or without a sexual act. Scientific evidence indicates that sexual reproduction is in fact a much less efficient way of producing new individuals and, consequently, of passing on genes to the next generation. Why then are some species, like humans, only able to reproduce with a sexual act? This is one of the greatest intrigues of evolutionary biology. And science aside, what does sex mean to us after all? Do we mate with the only goal of passing genes onto the next generation? Or is there more to it under the sheets? Come and discuss these questions with outstanding scientist, medical ethicist, and religious studies scholar at the next Science Café.
WHEN: Tuesday February 27, 2007 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm WHERE: Salento coffee house, 2407 Rice Boulevard in Rice Village WHO: Dr. Ricardo Azevedo, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Houston
Dr. Simon Whitney, M.D. and Medical Ethicist, Medical Director of Baylor Family Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine
Jeffrey J. Kripal, J. Newton Rayzor Professor and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University. Author of “Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion”, a book dealing with modern fusions of science, eroticism, and mystical experience
Moderator: Patricia Gras, Senior Producer at HoustonPBS and Host of TV show Living Smart – airing Sundays at 3:30pm and Thursdays at 1:30pm. Living Smart episodes also available on google
the most important information I got that night is the influence of our culture in how we view sex and evolution. Dr. Kripal said most societies in history have been polygamous. Does that explain do you think why so many people have such a hard time staying married?
