Evolution and Society
A Transdisciplinary Course (T-Course) on
Evolutionary Theory, Evolutionary Psychology,
Evolutionary Ethics, Evolutionary Economics
Dr. Michael Shermer
Mondays 7-10pm, January 28 - May 12, 2008
Office: Harper Hall East 208; Hours: Mondays 4-7pm
“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.”
—Theodosius Dobzhansky
Course Summary
A transdisciplinary and integrative overview of evolutionary theory in two parts: (1) the history and science of evolutionary theory, (2) the application of the theory into such new fields as evolutionary psychology, evolutionary anthropology, evolutionary medicine, evolutionary ethics, and evolutionary economics.
1. The history and science of evolutionary theory shall include: the pre-Darwinian evolutionists, the influence of Paley, Malthus, Lamarck, and Lyell on Darwin, how natural selection was discovered (and how Darwin and Wallace differed in their theories), the scientific debate at the turn of the 20th century, the modern synthesis and the rise of neo-Darwinism, the genetic revolution, and current theoretical controversies; the 19th-century “problem of the species” and what Darwin’s theory was meant to explain, structuralism and functionalism in evolutionary theory, the role of geology and paleontology in the development of the science of evolution, the target of selection (genes, organisms, groups, species), gradualism and punctuated equilibrium, contingency and necessity in the evolution of diversity, evo-devo and evolutionary restraints on development, the evolution of evolvability, adaptation and exaptation, ontogeny, phylogeny and historical constraints on evolutionary development, and extrapolationism from microevolution to macroevolution.
2. The application of evolutionary theory into other fields in particular and society in general will be considered in its integration into psychology, anthropology, medicine, ethics, and economics. Controversies over and challenges to the application of evolutionary theory to society, most notably the telling of “just so” stories not backed by scientific evidence will also be considered. Finally, the implications of evolutionary theory for the
