Course Schedule

Required Texts

Dennett, D. C. (1996). Darwin’s Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life. Simon & Schuster.

A copy of the Dennett text can be found online (and also here) but I recommend buying a copy. There are plenty of used copies available online at Amazon, B&N, and Half.ebay. I also placed an order with Campus Book and Supply. I didn't bother with the NKU campus bookstore.

All other required readings are available online.

Recommended Texts

Here are some other good texts. You might look for them in the library or pick one up at a used book store.

  • Hodge, J., & Radick, G. (2003). The Cambridge Companion to Darwin. Cambridge University Press.
  • Lewens, T. (2006). Darwin. Routledge.
  • Ruse, M. (2007). Philosophy of Biology (2nd ed.). Prometheus Books.
  • Sober, E. (2006). Conceptual Issues in Evolutionary Biology (third edition.). The MIT Press.
  • Sober, E. (2000). Philosophy of Biology, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.). Westview Press.
  • Sterelny, K., & Griffiths, P. E. (1999). Sex and Death: An Introduction to Philosophy of Biology. University Of Chicago Press.

Driving Questions

  1. What is the philosophical significance of Darwin's theory? In what ways did Darwin influence philosophy?
  2. How does Darwin help us understand evolution and natural selection?
  3. What is an adaptation?
  4. What is a species and how are biological species related to the philosophical ideas of essential natures and natural kinds?
  5. Can Darwinian evolution account for cultural change?
  6. Can Darwinian evolution account for the human mind?
  7. Can Darwinian evolution account for morality and politics?

Schedule

Date Tuesday Date Thursday
01.10Introduction 01.12Darwin's influence on philosophy. Read Dewey, Aristotle and Paley.
01.17Influence, continued. Read Dennett chapter. 01.19Influence, continued. Browne article.
01.24Natural Selection. Read Darwin chapters. 01.26 Natural Selection, continued. Read Dennett chapters
01.31Natural Selection, continued. Read SEP article and Ridley tutorial 02.02Units of Selection. Read Dawkins and Ridley tutorial
02.07Units of Selection, continued. Read Wilson and SEP article. 02.09Adaptationism. Read SEP article and Ridley tutorial.
02.14Adapationism, continued. Read Dennett chapters. Project Proposal due. 02.16Adaptationism, continued. Read Gould/Lewontin article.
02.21Species. Read SEP article, Ridley tutorial and Mayr article. 02.23Species, continued.
02.28Cultural Evolution. Read Dennett chapter and Dawkins article. Annotated Bibliography due. 03.01Cultural Evolution, continued. Read SEP article.
03.06Spring Break 03.08Spring Break
03.13Cultural Evolution, continued. Read Richerson and Boyd article 03.15Mind. Read Dennett chapters.
03.20Mind, continued. 03.22Mind, continued. Read Cosmides and Tooby article and SEP articles.
03.27Mind, continued. Read Buller and Gould articles 03.29Mind, continued. Read Polger article.
04.03Mind, continued. Read Rowland article 04.05Mind, continued. Draft and Abstract for Project due.
04.10Morality and Politics. Read Dennett chapters. 04.12Morality and Politics, continued. Read Mackie series of articles.
04.17Morality and Politics, continued. 04.19Morality and Politics, continued. Read Boehm article
04.24Morality and Politics, continued. 04.26Conclusions.
112/schedule.txt · Last modified: 2012/01/12 08:55 by garns
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