This course will ask to what extent human behavior in its various individual, group, social, and cultural dimensions can be understood using the relatively small number of basic principles provided by evolutionary biological considerations.

This course provides a toolkit for thinking about human behavior in an evolutionary context. We will cover the basics of evolutionary biology and human evolutionary history, then explore topics of special interest to the science of human behavior. In particular, we will focus on the evolution of social behavior, reproduction, toolmaking, language, and cognition. Throughout, the goal will be to understand humans in their biological context and explore the ways in which we are, and are not, extraordinary.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills