| Description: |
- This
course will examine the philosophical foundations and implications of
evolutionary biology as well as the role that the biological sciences
generally can and/or should play in both our philosophical and
scientific understanding of human beings. Presently scheduled topics
include: Genetics, Race, and Intelligence; Sociobiological Explanations
of Human Behavior; Dolly and the Scientific and Ethical Significance of
Cloning; Evolutionary Game Theory; Punctuated Equilibrium; Kansas'
Removal of Evolution from its Schools; Genetic Modification of Foods
and Organisms; The Evolution of Language; The Evolution of Justice and
Moral Norms; Cultural Evolution and the Biological Foundations of
Morality; Ethical Challenges of the Human Genome Project.
- The
Instructors for this course will be Francisco Ayala, Bren Professor of
Biology and Philosophy (UCI) Brian Skyrms, UCI Distinguished Professor
of Logic and Philosophy of Science (UCI). The course will include guest
lectures by Kyle Stanford, Assistant Professor of Logic and Philosophy
of Science (UCI) and other distinguished faculty. This course satisfies
the Upper Division Writing Requirement. Graduate students are welcome
to enroll for graduate credit under (BioSci 242/Philos 242/SocSci 242).
- Texts and
Requirements:
- The
texts will be Philosophy of Biology edited by Michael Ruse; and,
Skyrms'Evolution of the Social Contract. Students will be evaluated on
three 1,000 word essays and a final term paper of 4,000 words
(satisfying the Upper Division Writing Requirement).
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