War and Peace: The Evolution of Conflict and Cooperation

Catalog description

Examines the evolutionary foundations of conflict and cooperation using theories and evidence spanning humans and other animals. Covers mechanisms of nonviolent conflict in nature, strategies for violent conflict and mechanisms to reduce the cost of conflict. Additionally, examines how cooperation evolved in humans and other animals. Topics include nepotism, reciprocity, cultural group selection and the evolution of moral sentiments. Also examines the interaction between cooperation and warfare. Topics include the relation between violence and morality, and how warfare shapes cultural evolution. The course ends examining combat-induced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Moral Injury, and how it relates to the evolution of cooperation and warfare.