EUGENE–A talk on the origins of human morality and one on how to lower the crime rate topics of the Oregon Humanities Center’s 2000-01 Kritikos Lectures offered on Tuesday, May 15, at the University of Oregon and on Thursday, May 17, in Portland.

James Q. Wilson, one of the world’s most influential political scientists on public policy issues, will discuss "Moral Intuitions" at 5:45 p.m. May 15 in Room 175 of the Knight Law Center, 1515 Agate St., Eugene. His research specialties include crime prevention, urban problems, conflict resolution and the prevention of delinquency among children.

Wilson, the Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University, will present "Can the Crime Rate Be Kept Down?" at 5:45 p.m. May 17 in the Crystal Ballroom of the Benson Hotel, 309 S.W. Broadway, Portland. He also is a professor emeritus in the Anderson School of Management at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Both free public lectures offer receptions with the speaker before the talk at 5 p.m. Seating is limited, so early arrival is recommended.

In his Eugene talk, Wilson says he will discuss the origin of moral sentiments, "many of which arise from human evolution, as well as those moral intuitions that are important but do not have an evolutionary background."

In his Portland lecture, Wilson will explain why the property crime rate is lower in the United States than it is in Europe, while the homicide rate here is higher. Wilson says he will discuss factors that might help us keep the crime rate low.

Considered one of the world’s top political scientists, Wilson has written extensively on the subjects of human nature, ethics and morality. He also has been a national policy adviser for more than three decades.

He is the author or co-author of 14 books, including "Moral Judgment" (1995) and "The Moral Sense" (1993). Many of his writings on morality and human character have been collected in "On Character: Essays by James Q. Wilson" (1991). Some of his other titles include "Bureaucracy" (1989), "Crime and Human Nature" (1985), "Thinking About Crime" (1983), "Varieties of Police Behavior" (1978), and "Political Organizations" (1973).

Wilson graduated in 1952 from the University of Redlands and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1959. From 1961 to 1987, he taught political science at Harvard University, where he was the Shattuck Professor of Government. He subsequently served as the James Collins Professor of Management and Public Policy at UCLA from 1985 until 1997.

The recipient of honorary degrees from six universities, most recently from Harvard, Wilson was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society.

On a number of national commissions concerned with public policy, Wilson has served for more than 30 years as an adviser to the federal government. His service includes chairman of the White House Task Force on Crime in 1966; chairman of the National Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse Prevention, 1972-1973; member of the Attorney General’s Task Force on Violent Crime in 1981; member of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, 1985-1991; and member of the board of directors of the Police Foundation, 1971-1993.

Sponsors of Wilson’s Oregon visit include the UO College of Arts and Sciences, the Office of the President, the Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior, and the planning, public policy and management, and the political science departments.

For more information about the talk, or to arrange for disability accommodations before May 7, browse <http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~humanctr/> or call the Oregon Humanities Center,
(541) 346-3934.

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