By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.

Privacy Preference Center

When you visit websites, they may store or retrieve data in your browser. This storage is often necessary for the basic functionality of the website. The storage may be used for marketing, analytics, and personalization of the site, such as storing your preferences. Privacy is important to us, so you have the option of disabling certain types of storage that may not be necessary for the basic functioning of the website. Blocking categories may impact your experience on the website.

Reject all cookies Allow all cookies

Manage Consent Preferences by Category

Essential

Always Active

These items are required to enable basic website functionality.

Marketing

Essential

These items are used to deliver advertising that is more relevant to you and your interests. They may also be used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement and measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. Advertising networks usually place them with the website operator’s permission.

Personalization

Essential

These items allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language, or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. For example, a website may provide you with local weather reports or traffic news by storing data about your current location.

Analytics

Essential

These items help the website operator understand how its website performs, how visitors interact with the site, and whether there may be technical issues. This storage type usually doesn’t collect information that identifies a visitor.

Confirm my preferences and close

Massimo Pigliucci

is the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York

Massimo Pigliucci is a blogger and author, as well as the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. He writes regularly at platofootnote.org and howtobeastoic.org. His books include How To Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (Basic Books) and Science Unlimited? The Challenges of Scientism (co-edited with M. Boudry, University of Chicago Press).

Groups with

Massimo Pigliucci

Authored by

Massimo Pigliucci

August 8, 2023

Conscious Evolution is a Category Mistake

No, evolution is not a conscious process, and to think so is an example of what philosophers call a category mistake, predicated on a fallacy of equivocation.

Biology