HON 210- Spring 2009

MINDS, MORALS, AND EVOLUTION

Spring 2009: TTh 11:00 – 12:15

Randall Library – Honors Seminar Room.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, January 8                              Introduction

 

Darwinian Natural Selection – Dr. McCartney

 

Tuesday, January 13                             Evolutionary Analysis (3-36 in coursepack)

 

Thursday, January 15                            Evolutionary Analysis, cont’d.

 

Animal Behavior – Dr. Sawrey, Dr. Bruce

 

Tuesday, January 20                             “Sex Selection”* (electronic)

 

Thursday, January 22                            “Do Animals Have Emotions?”* (optional: "About Death") (electronic)

 

Evolutionary Psychology: The Basics – Dr. James, Dr. Bruce

 

Tuesday, January 27                             The Moral Animal (electronic)

 

Thursday, January 29                            Evolutionary Psychology (48-59 in coursepack)

 

Tuesday, February 3                             Evolutionary Psychology, cont’d.

 

The Selection of Psychological Modules: Mate Selection – James, Bruce

 

Thursday, February 5                           The Moral Animal (electronic)

 

FIRST EXAM (take home) – Due Monday, February 9

 

Tuesday, February 10                           The Moral Animal, cont’d.

 

Thursday, February 12                         The Moral Animal, cont’d.

 

The Selection of Psychological Modules: Dating – Dr. Luo

 

Tuesday, February 17                           “Partner Personality” (85-113 in coursepack) and "Speed Dating” (114- 158 in coursepack)

 

Thursday, February 19                         The Wedding Ring Effect (electronic) and Are the Good Men Taken? (electronic)

 

Student Presentations: Other (Alleged) Psychological Adaptations

 

Tuesday, February 24                           Student Presentations  SEX FAMILY

 

Thursday, February 26                          Student Presentations  SOCIAL RELIGION

 

Tuesday, March 3                                Student Presentations  FOOD CLINICAL

 

Philosophical Challenges to Evolutionary Psychology – Dr. Turrisi, Dr.

Bruce, Dr. James

 

Thursday, March 5                             

 

PAPER on your presentation paper (above) Due – or before noon March 6

 

Tuesday, March 10                              NO CLASS

 

Thursday, March 12                             NO CLASS

 

Tuesday, March 17                               “Hate EP?”/“EP is not evil” (159-171 in coursepack)

 

Thursday, March 19                            “Generals said”/”Concept of” (172-177 in coursepack)

 

The Selection of Psychological Modules: Altruism and Cooperation (James, Bruce)

 

Tuesday, March 24                                “EP: The Wheat and the Chaff” * (electronic) 

                                                           

 

Thursday, March 26                                 On Human Nature (178-189 in coursepack)

 

Tuesday, March 31                                   Evolutionary Psychology* (electronic)

 

The Selection of Psychological Modules: Moral Thought (James)

 

Thursday, April 2                                  Evolutionary Psychology, cont’d.

  

Tuesday, April 7                                   “The Moral Instinct” (190-203 in coursepack)

 

Thursday, April 9                                  NO CLASS

 

Tuesday, April 14                                 “The Moral Instinct”

 

PAPER Due – Wednesday, April 15

 

Evolution and the Reality of Moral Values (James)

 

Thursday, April 16                                “Evolutionary Ethics”* (electronic)

 

Tuesday, April 21                                 “Evolutionary Ethics,” cont’d.

 

Thursday, April 23                                “Evolutionary Ethics,” cont’d.

 

* - Electronic article

 

FINAL EXAM – Tuesday, May 5, 11:30-2:30