Michael Ruse—noted speaker, author, and philosopher—will present a lecture on the impact of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution on Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Ruse, author of Darwinism and Its Discontents, will explore the social impact of the theory of natural selection that Darwin presented in On the Origin of Species, which was published 150 years ago. Ruse will also discuss how thinking has changed since then, and how Darwin’s theories have been further developed by scientists and considered by philosophers over time.

His lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session and a book signing, with copies of his books available for purchase. The event is presented by Buffalo State and is part of the Buffalo Museum of Science’s Hayes Lecture Series.

A popular and often controversial speaker, Ruse is a philosopher of science whose specialty is the philosophy of biology. He is an expert on Darwin and has spoken all over the world on Darwin and evolution. He is the Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University. Previously, he taught at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, for 35 years.