[Past] 27 Evolution and Human Life - Fall 2018

Revised

August 1, 2018

CLASS NUMBER:

760-31

INSTRUCTOR:

JONATHAN SHAW

TIME:

Tuesdays, 6:15-8:45 pm

LOCATION:

GLS House, 2114 Campus Drive

DESCRIPTION:

Evolution provides the framework on which the science of biology rests, and is central to research in agriculture, medicine, ecology, conservation, and even psychology. The modern science of evolution began with publication of Charles Darwin’s landmark book, On the Origin of Species, in 1859, and has grown in importance as the scientific foundation of biology ever since. Moreover, evolutionary ideas pervade virtually all realms of human experience. In this course we address the following issues and questions, among others. What is evolution? How did Darwin introduce the modern science of evolution? What sorts of evolutionary ideas existed before Darwin? What is the relationship between evolutionary biology and various religious beliefs (including but not limited to modern “creationism”)? What is the biological (i.e., evolutionary) basis of human races? How do evolutionary ideas impact the practice of medicine … agriculture? What is the relationship between biological and cultural evolution? How does our evolutionary history/heritage (i.e., baggage) impact human behavior? Did human morality evolve? Why is evolution so controversial, especially in the United States? This course includes readings and discussions about the scientific study of evolution, but is intended for those without substantial scientific background! We will discuss what the scientific study of evolution entails, but we focus much of the course on how evolutionary ideas impact everyday life.

The course adopts a discussion format, based mainly on the readings, but also on selected videos that I will ask you to view during some weeks before class. Evaluations will be based on discussion engagement, several short essays assigned during the semester, and on a term paper. Term paper topics are quite flexible, of your choosing so you can research and write about a topic of particular interest to you. The papers could be primarily biological in nature, or on just about any topic – sociological, historical, religious, etc. – that connects in some way to evolutionary thought.