| Time | Days | Location | Instructor | GER | Credit | OPUS Class Number | Syllabus (Tentative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9:35am-10:25am | MWF | Anthropology Building 108 | Stout, Dietrich. | SNT. | 4 | 12734 | TBA. |
January 13, 2010- April 26, 2010
Catalog Description: This course is concerned with identifying evolutionary modifications of the human brain that support modern human cognitive and emotional specializations.
Semester Details: Humans pride ourselves on our great intelligence, and the very name we have given our species means "wise man". But what exactly is special about human mental abilities and where did these abilities come from? In this course we will explore neuroscientific, psychological and behavioral evidence of modern human cognitive specializations as well as archeological, paleontological, and comparative evidence of their evolutionary origins. We will focus on three main sources of evidence: 1) the fossil and archeological record, 2) comparisons between human and non-human brains with respect to anatomy, function, and development, and 3) comparisons between human and non-human cognition. This is an inherently inter-disciplinary enterprise and serious students from any background are welcome. Topics of special interest will include the evolutionary origins of human capacities for language, culture, technology, music and mathematics.
The schedule of courses on O.P.U.S. is the official listing of courses, including days and times they meet and the General Education Requirements they satisfy. Students should use course descriptions as general guidelines. Course requirements, grading details, book lists, and syllabi are subject to change.