Humans as Primates

Catalog description

Humans as Primates is intended to introduce the student to the biological bases of human anatomy and behavior by drawing comparisons to the behavior and biology of our closest living relatives, the non-human primates. The principal goal of the course is to critically evaluate arguments concerning what uniquely makes us human and the role of genetics, environment, and evolutionary history on the development of human behavior and anatomy. The course will draw heavily on studies of living non-human primates as well as evolutionary theory, paleoanthropology, and evolutionary psychology to address issues such as human growth and development, dietary adaptations, human variation, human communication, intelligence, reproduction, violence and aggression, and culture. Humans as Primates is divided into four main thematic units each designed to present a set of related lessons exploring the role of biology in various aspects of human life. The first unit provides the foundation for the course by introducing the place of humans in the natural world. This unit presents a survey of living primates and their relationship to humans as well as an overview of evolutionary processes and human evolution. The other units present topics in human biology, communication, and social behavior focusing specifically on topics of importance to current events and aspects of popular culture and modern life. This course should be of significant interest to students in a diversity of disciplines including the biological and social sciences as well as anyone interested in human behavior. The course can be used to fulfill three credits of General Education in the Natural Sciences (GN). As such this course will help students understand how scientific information from a variety of disciplines can be used to investigate and understand human biology and behavior. The course will introduce the student to methods of data collection and analysis, foster critical thinking skills, and provide a rich background for understanding human diversity, human biology, and behavior. Students will have the opportunity to synthesize information from a broad range of disciplines to develop a fuller understanding of the biological basis of human behavior.