Dr Helena Cronin

Dr Helena Cronin was made a patron of Humanists UK for her contribution to humanist philosophy and her contribution to the better understanding of the human condition.

Co-Director, Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, LSE

Dr Helena Cronin runs the darwin@lse programme, which explores recent developments in evolutionary thinking, in particular what evolutionary theory can tell us about human nature, and is the co-editor of Darwinism Today. Her research interests include an evolutionary understanding of sex differences; methodological problems of evolutionary theory, particularly in its application to our own species; and how Darwinian theory can inform policy.

Amongst her many books and articles on evolution, humanists may find the following of particular interest:
Evolution, not sexism, puts us at a disadvantage in the sciences”, in The Guardian, Saturday March 12, 2005
Darwinism (Picador, 2006) – buy it here .
The Ant and the Peacock: Altruism and Sexual Selection from Darwin to Today (Cambridge University Press, 1993, with an introduction by John Maynard Smith) – buy it here

In July 2001 she was one of the signatories to a letter published in The Independent which urged the Government to reconsider its support for the expansion of maintained religious schools. She was one of the 43 scientists and philosophers who in March 2002 signed a letter to Tony Blair and relevant Government departments, deploring the teaching of Creationism in schools. She was also one of the signatories to a letter supporting a holiday on Charles’ Darwin’s birthday, published in The Times on February 12, 2003, and also sent to the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary. As well as supporting Humanists UK, Dr Cronin is an Honorary Associate of Rationalist International and of the Rationalist Association.