1
EEB 210
Spring 2008
SYLLABUS FOR ANIMAL MODELS AND HUMAN EVOLUTION
Lec. # Date
Reading
Topic
PART I: Development of concepts of biological evolution and the evolution of primates
and hominids; origins of modern humans
1 Tu 1/22
History of concepts of biological evolution and
development of Darwin’s ideas; early concepts of
human evolution
2 Th 1/24
Dawkins
Chaps. 1-3
(pp. 1-45)
Darwinian evolution: The Modern Synthesis;
incorporation of genetics into evolutionary thought
3 Tu 1/29
Dawkins
Chaps. 4-5
(pp. 46-87)
Modern view of mechanisms of evolution; genetics
of development
4 Th 1/31
Dawkins
Chaps. 6-7
(pp. 88-122)
Kin selection
5 Tu 2/5
Dawkins
Chaps. 8-10
(pp. 123-188)
Altruism and deception
6 Th 2/7
Dawkins
Chap. 11
(pp. 189-201)
Sexual selection; learning and evolution
7
Dawkins
Chaps. 12-13
(pp. 202-266)
General discussion of “The Selfish Gene”;
speciation and classification
Becoming Human
pp. 4-13; 22-29
Evolution of mammals and early primates; living
primates
Tu 2/12
8 Th 2/14
9
Tu 2/19 Becoming Human
pp. 14-21; Zimmer
Chap. 1 (pp. 9-23)
Primate physiology and behavior
Take-home part of Mid-Term Exam will be given out on 2/19; will be due on 3/4
2
10 Th 2/21 Zimmer
Chaps. 2-4
(pp. 25-77)
Hominoids and early hominids
11 Tu 2/26 Zimmer
Early hominins
Chaps. 5-6
(pp. 79-119)
Alles and Stevenson
12 Th 2/28 Zimmer
Chaps. 7-8
(pp. 121-164)
Becoming Human
pp. 38-57
Evolution of modern Homo sapiens:
African origins and migration out of Africa
Tu 3/4
Mid-Term Exam: Will cover material of lectures 1-11
Take-home portion of mid-term due
13 Th 3/6
Becoming Human
pp. 58-65
Human genetics and genetic evidence for human
origins and migrations; hunting and gathering
SPRING BREAK
14 Tu 3/18 Becoming Human
pp. 74-83
Early evidence of human culture
PART II: Evolutionary origins of specific outstanding attributes of humans
15 Th 3/20 Becoming Human
pp. 66-73
Theories of human evolution
16 Tu
Evolution of bipedalism
3/25
17 Th 3/27 Becoming Human
pp. 30-37; 84-92
Intelligence in great apes: comparison to man
18 Tu 4/1
Origins of human intelligence
3
19 Th 4/3
Burling
Chaps. 1-3
(pp. 1-64)
Evolution of language
20 Tu 4/8
Burling
Chaps. 4-6
(pp. 65-121)
Evolution of language; neural basis for language
21 Th 4/10 Burling
Chaps. 7-9
(pp. 122-180)
Consciousness and “Theory of Mind”; free will
22 Tu 4/15 Burling
Chaps. 10-11
(pp. 181-233)
General discussion of “The Talking Ape”
23 Th 4/17 Blackmore
Chaps.1-6
(pp. 1-81)
Memesis and evolution of culture
Take home part of Final Exam will be given out 4/17; will be due 4/29
24 Tu 4/22 Blackmore
Chaps. 7-12
(pp. 82-161)
Memesis and evolution of culture;
learning by imitation
25 Th 4/24 Blackmore
Chaps. 13-18
(pp. 162-246)
General discussion of “The Meme Machine”
26 Tu 4/29 Gallese et al. (2004) Mirror neurons and learning by imitation
Take home part of Final Exam due 4/29
27 Th 5/1
Review of course
Final examination, in-class portion: date to be determined
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Required reading materials available at UConn Coop:
1) Richard Dawkins (2006). The Selfish Gene. 50th Anniversary Edition. Oxford Univ.
Press
2) Carl Zimmer (2005). Smithsonian Intimate Guide to Human Origins. Smithsonian
Books.
3) Robbins Burling (2005). The Talking Ape. Oxford Univ. Press
4) Susan Blackmore (1999). The Meme Machine. Oxford Univ. Press
Required readings available on the Internet (accessible from EEB
website under “Readings from internet”):
1) Becoming Human (from Scientific American). Available at www.eeb.uconn.edu
(look under “Readings from Internet”)
2) Gallese V., Keysers, C. and Rizzolatti, G. (2004). A unifying view of the basis of
social cognition.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences 8:396-403.
Go to:
http://www2.unipr.it/~gallese/TICS%202004.pdf (This can be downloaded as a PDF
file.)
Optional websites: Additional websites are listed at the EEB website under the
heading “Other websites”. These sites do not contain required readings, but I suggest
that you become familiar with them as they contain material that may be very helpful in
helping to explain and illustrate material covered in this course.
1) http://www.becominghuman.org/ This excellent site is managed by the Institute of
Human Origins at Arizona State University. It includes a documentary film (Becoming
Human) and other relevant material.
2) DL Alles and JC Stevenson (2007). A review of current research on human evolution.
Available at http://fire.biol.wwu.edu/trent/alles/Human_Evolution.pdf
(This review
includes some excellent illustrations.)
3) http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ This site is managed by the
Smithsonian Institution and contains much information on the hominin fossil record and
the evolutionary relationships of hominins.
4) http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0611/feature6/ This site describes in
detail the very recent find of the fossil of a 3-year old Australopithecus afarensis. This is
a very important find because it gives clues regarding the early development in this
species and is also the most complete fossil for any hominid that lived more than 3
million years ago. From the left side of the screen, items of interest are: Eyes of a Child,
The Dikka Baby, and Interview.