Salon: Can Evolutionary Thinking Help Companies Foster More Ethical Cultures?

David Sloan Wilson, co-author of Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable, and Collaborative Groups had a conversation with special guests:

Erika Cheung, Founder of Ethics in Entrepreneurship

Toby Shannan, Shopify’s Chief Support Officer

David Sloan Wilson is SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University. He applies evolutionary theory to all aspects of humanity. His newest book (co-authored with Paul W.B. Atkins and Steven C. Hayes) is Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable, and Collaborative Groups. His past books include Darwin’s Cathedral: Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society, Does Altruism Exist? Culture, Genes, and the Welfare of Others, and, most recently, This View of Life: Completing the Darwinian Revolution. 

Erika Cheung is a Theranos whistle-blower. Prior to the scandal, she was a medical researcher at the company. Now, passionate about technology, healthcare, science, and empowering low-income communities, she’s started Ethics in Entrepreneurship (EIE) with another former Theranos employee. EIE aims to expand and improve ethical approaches to start-ups. Read our interview with her, here.

Toby Shannan has been at Shopify—the world’s leading cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform—since 2010. In his current role, he oversees the customer service strategy for Shopify. He is a student of evolutionary psychology and is working to apply those insights into the support operations of Shopify.

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Here is a recap of the event, from Communications Director Brian Gallagher