Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Official General Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Official General Catalog [Archived Catalog]

BIO 259 - Neuroscience and Evolution: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Human Nature


The science of human nature was forever transformed by Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking publication of “On the Origin of Species” in 1859.  Explore how modern neuroscience and evolution contribute to our understanding of the natural world and our own human nature as we examine culture through the lens of Darwin’s theory of natural selection.  Investigate how London’s Victorian society influenced art and science to usher in an age of enlightenment, discover how biology, behavior, and culture have been inseparably intertwined throughout human history, and develop a new understanding of the fundamental and universal human nature that links us all.

Credits: 3
Hours
3 Class Hours
Course Profile
Learning Outcomes of the Course:

Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate meaningful and thoughtful oral discourse by discussing and explaining interpretive responses to literature, science, and culture through the lenses of evolutionary theory and neuroscience.
  2. Demonstrate critical reflection about how own attitudes and beliefs are different from those of other cultures and communities.
  3. Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills through identification, analysis, and evaluation of theories, arguments or conclusions.
  4. Demonstrate civic engagement by integrating knowledge from their program of study and applying it on a practical level by producing a tangible product or program.