Students examine central concepts in the contemporary theory of evolution, such as variation, descent, natural selection, adaptation, speciation, and extinction on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales. Emphasis is placed on presentation of changes in evolutionary thinking and discussion of how the current theory of evolution developed from the time of the Greek philosophers to modern evolutionary synthesis. This historical approach addresses scientific theories are first proposed & continuously modified to accommodate new findings. Students' major projects consist of independent research into current controversies surrounding evolutionary theory. Topics include origins of living systems; species and their origins and extinctions; adaptation and constraints; systematics; evolutionary ethics. Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for the course, but BIOL 3021 is recommended. Note: Students cannot get credit for more than one of BIOL 4140, BIOL 4141.
Students examine central concepts in the contemporary theory of evolution, such as variation, descent, natural selection, adaptation, speciation, and extinction on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales. Emphasis is placed on presentation of changes in evolutionary thinking and discussion of how the current theory of evolution developed from the time of the Greek philosophers to modern evolutionary synthesis. This historical approach addresses scientific theories are first proposed & continuously modified to accommodate new findings. Students' major projects consist of independent research into current controversies surrounding evolutionary theory. Topics include origins of living systems; species and their origins and extinctions; adaptation and constraints; systematics; evolutionary ethics. Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for the course, but BIOL 3021 is recommended. Note: Students cannot get credit for more than one of BIOL 4140, BIOL 4141.
