Uploaded September 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A radical theory of evolution comes from a remarkable man who died a century ago. Mutual aid, said Peter Kropotkin, not competition, was the key to survival. His ideas took shape in years of studying animal behaviour in Siberia’s -40ºC winters, observing creatures huddling together for warmth, feeding each other, and guarding their groups from danger.
His own life had many dangers. A Russian prince from a wealthy family, he was later imprisoned by the Czar, but a jail break led to escape to England, and a series of books – on evolution, anarchism, ethics and more. A common thread – Kropotkin’s law of mutual aid – ran through them all.
Prof. Lee Alan Dugatkin of the University of Louisville, Kentucky, evolutionary biologist and historian of science, tells Kropotkin’s story as both one of the world’s leading scientists and one of the most famous anarchists of his day.
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Your feedback is much appreciated. Here is a form to send to us.
oisf.org/visitor-feedback-2021
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Featured Music
Samples from “Documentary” and “The Trip Home” from the album “Deltapodus” by Zerøbeat – available on Bandcamp zerobeat2020.bandcamp.com
Reproduced with permission from the artist.
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Donations
All the events in this year’s Festival are free of charge. If you are enjoying our online sessions, please consider supporting the Festival with a donation. Click the link below to donate and we thank you sincerely for your support.
paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=orkneyscience%40gmail.com&item_name=To+help+covering+the+cost+of+this+year's+Orkney+International+Science+Festival¤cy_code=GBP&source=url
__________________________________________________________________________
More Information
For more information about this and other events please visit our website on oisf.org
A radical theory of evolution comes from a remarkable man who died a century ago. Mutual aid, said Peter Kropotkin, not competition, was the key to survival. His ideas took shape in years of studying animal behaviour in Siberia’s -40ºC winters, observing creatures huddling together for warmth, feeding each other, and guarding their groups from danger.
His own life had many dangers. A Russian prince from a wealthy family, he was later imprisoned by the Czar, but a jail break led to escape to England, and a series of books – on evolution, anarchism, ethics and more. A common thread – Kropotkin’s law of mutual aid – ran through them all.
Prof. Lee Alan Dugatkin of the University of Louisville, Kentucky, evolutionary biologist and historian of science, tells Kropotkin’s story as both one of the world’s leading scientists and one of the most famous anarchists of his day.
_________________________________________________________________________
Your feedback is much appreciated. Here is a form to send to us.
oisf.org/visitor-feedback-2021
_________________________________________________________________________
Featured Music
Samples from “Documentary” and “The Trip Home” from the album “Deltapodus” by Zerøbeat – available on Bandcamp zerobeat2020.bandcamp.com
Reproduced with permission from the artist.
________________________________________________________________________
Donations
All the events in this year’s Festival are free of charge. If you are enjoying our online sessions, please consider supporting the Festival with a donation. Click the link below to donate and we thank you sincerely for your support.
paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=orkneyscience%40gmail.com&item_name=To+help+covering+the+cost+of+this+year's+Orkney+International+Science+Festival¤cy_code=GBP&source=url
__________________________________________________________________________
More Information
For more information about this and other events please visit our website on oisf.org
