BIO 358

Biology of Human Social & Sexual Behavior 

 

SUMMER 2013 Schedule 

SUMMER 2013 Extended Session 1

May 28^th – July 18th 2013
Faculty:  Paul M. Bingham and Joanne Souza
Stony Brook Students:  DEC H Implications of Science, Upper Division
Non-Stony Brook Students – Check with your Institution for Transfer Info. 

This course is offered online except for Two Mandatory Live Exams. Two Exam Review Sessions are optional.  Exams may be taken at either our West Campus in Stony Brook, NY OR at our Manhattan Campus. Register for the Manhattan Section (Section 61) to take Exams in Manhattan and for the West Campus Section (Section 1) to take Exams on West Campus (Stony Brook, NY). Please contact us ifor other possible locations outside these two areas.. 

Stony Brook WEST (Main) Campus Sections:
http://ws.cc.stonybrook.edu/summer/

West Campus Syllabus

Optional Exam Review Session:  Mon. June 17th-6:30-8:00 PM -Rm. Javits 102

MANDATORY Exam 1: Thursday, June 20th- 6:30–8:30 PM Rm Javits 100

Optional Final Review Session: Mon. July 15^th-6:30–8:00 PM Rm Javits 102

MANDATORY Final Exam 2: Tues. July 16^th-6:30–8:30 PM Rm Javits 100

 

Manhattan Campus Sections
387 Park Avenue South
Student Entrance:  101 East 27th Street, 3rd floor
http://ws.cc.stonybrook.edu/sb/nyc/   

Manhattan Campus Syllabus  

Optional Exam 1 Review Session: Thurs. June 13th-6:30-8:30 PM-Rm 321 C

MANDATORY Exam 1: Thurs. June 20th 6:30-8:30 PM - Rm 321 B/C

Optional Final Review Session: Thurs. July 11^th-6:30 – 8:00 PM  Rm 321 C

MANDATORY Final Exam 2:  Tuesday. July 16^th- 6:30- 8:30 PM Rm 321 B/C

 

Major objectives of this course:

1.  Explore a powerful evolutionary theory of the origin of human uniqueness. Covered are the implications of this theory for our biological and social properties including the evolution of our large brains, language, unique sexual behavior, our history, economics, politics and all empirical evidence supporting this theory.  The scientific implications are profound and unite the social and natural sciences into a coherent whole.

2.  Engage students of all disciplines in the process of science – learn and participate in how we define theories, collect evidence and use that evidence to test these theories by subjecting them to skeptical public questioning. In this portion of the course, via discussions, you will be asked to critically think and debate varying interpretations of the empirical evidence in relation to the science being brought to your attention.

See http://www.deathfromadistance.com/ for more content information

How is the course administered?

The course is administered through a combination of the Blackboard Course management system and the Streaming Tutors Digital EDU-PACK subscription purchase. The Digital EDU-PACK includes video lectures, study questions, animations, and interactive questions.  Subscription purchase is to registered students only. Detailed administrative procedures will be given during the online video orientation.

This course requires good time management skills, excellent scheduling skills, and ability to work on your own as well as being part of an online group.

Topics Covered: 

[TOPIC 1]      Humans - how are we unique and how unique are we?

[TOPIC 2]      We know what life is – a special case of chemistry

[TOPIC 3]      How genes build animals - the essential fundamentals and their implications

[TOPIC 4]      How and how fast does natural selection actually work in the real world of sexual animals like us?

[TOPIC 5]      How evolution produces animals that cooperate

[TOPIC 6]      Kin-selected behaviors in humans

[TOPIC 7]      Kinship-independent social cooperation – the fundamental, unique human adaptation

[TOPIC 8]      Human sexual behavior – How we are like other animals – I

[TOPIC 9]      Human sexual behavior – How we are unlike other animals – II

[TOPIC 10]    Human childhood – More on how we are unlike other animals- III

[TOPIC 11 & 12]       How and when we became human – the fossil record – I and II

[TOPIC 13]    Human language – cooperation and information exchange – I

[TOPIC 14]    Human language – cooperation and information exchange – II

[TOPIC 15 & 16]       Extragenetic Information and the Uniquely Human Mind/Brain

[TOPIC 17]    Introduction to a theory of history – how and when humans arose and spread around the world

[TOPIC 18]    The behaviorally modern human revolution

[TOPIC 19]    The bow, the sling and "“neolithic" revolutions. – I

[TOPIC 20]    The bow, the sling and "“neolithic" revolutions. – II and Shock weaponry, body armor and "empire" – I

[TOPIC 21]    Shock weaponry, body armor and "empire". – II

[TOPIC 22]    Guns, cast iron and the emergence of the "modern state"

[TOPIC 23]    Aircraft, rocketry and the emergence of pan-global human cooperation

[TOPIC 24]    Final considerations - The contemporary world and a sustainable human future