77 min listen
Richard Prum on Birds, Beauty, and Finding Your Own Way
Richard Prum on Birds, Beauty, and Finding Your Own Way
ratings:
Length:
50 minutes
Released:
Jun 30, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Richard Prum really cares about birds. Growing up in rural Vermont, he didn’t know anyone else interested in birding his own age. The experience taught him to rely on his own sense of curiosity and importance when deciding what questions and interests are worth studying. As a result, he has pursued many different paths of research in avian biology — such as behavioral evolution, where feathers come from, sexual selection and mate choice — many of which have led to deep implications in the field. In 2017, Tyler agreed with several prominent outlets that Prum’s book The Evolution of Beauty was one of the best books of the year, writing that it “offers an excellent and clearly written treatment of the particulars of avian evolution, signaling theory, and aesthetics, bringing together some disparate areas very effectively.” Richard joined Tyler to discuss the infidelity of Australian birds, the debate on the origins of avian flight, how the lack of a penis explains why birds are so beautiful, why albatrosses can afford to take so many years to develop before mating, the game theory of ornithology, how flowers advertise themselves like a can of Coke, how modern technology is revolutionizing bird watching, why he’s pro-bird feeders yet anti- outdoor cats, how scarcity predicts territoriality in birds, his favorite bird artist, how Oilbirds got their name, how falcons and cormorants hunt and fish with humans, whether birds exhibit a G factor, why birds have regional accents, whether puffins will perish, why he’s not excited about the idea of trying to bring back passenger pigeons, the “dumb question” that marks a talented perspective ornithologist, and more. Visit our website: https://conversationswithtyler.com Email: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cowenconvos Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cowenconvos/ Follow Tyler on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tylercowen Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/cowenconvos Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://go.mercatus.org/l/278272/2017-09-19/g4ms Thumbnail photo credit: Russell Kaye
Released:
Jun 30, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Cass Sunstein on Judicial Minimalism, the Supreme Court, and Star Wars (Live at Mason): On Star Wars, judicial minimalism, Bob Dylan, nudging, the Supreme Court, James Joyce, Hayek, and the merits of a ‘banned products store.’ by Conversations with Tyler