BIOL 4950/5950 Origins: Scientific Views

Dr. William P. Wall    Herty 203 (Office Hours 11:00-12:00, M-TH) phone (478) 445-0818

Course Objectives:

As a result of this course, you will be able to:

• discriminate between the fundamental tenets of science, philosophy, and religion
• demonstrate how the scientific method is used to investigate questions of origins ranging from the universe to intelligence
• distinguish between science and pseudoscience
• conceptualize what evolution is and how natural selection works
• question scientific and other views regarding the past and possible future of humanity
• evaluate complex issues by exploring your depth of knowledge in terms of the Six Facets of Understanding

  To master course content, you will need to:

• actively participate in class lectures and discussions
• answer the questions provided on the assignments and assessment pages
• become familiar with basic human anatomy, evolutionary theory, geologic time, biodiversity, and astronomy
• post questions and respond to questions about this topic to the WebVista discussion page

Grades:  Three lecture exams count 15 % each.  Fifteen % of your grade will be based on substantive participation in class and web based discussions. Ten % of your grade will be based on a formal PowerPoint presentation.  Ten % of your grade will come from a variety of group projects. The remaining 20 % of your grade will come from evaluation of your answers to the questions in the assessment area for each lesson in WebVista. Prior to mid-semester, you will receive feedback on your academic performance in this course.

Exam Format:  exams are 30% fill in the blank and 70% essay.  Grading of essay questions will be based on mastery of course content and the ability to think logically and write clearly.  Each exam will include a 30 point mandatory essay that requires you to pull together your knowledge and apply it in a novel way to answer a hypothetical problem.

iPods: Students in this course are privileged to be able to use video iPods during the duration of the course. The iPods will be used for videos, audio podcasts, viewing images, and lecture PowerPoints that will be used during the course of the semester.  The video iPods are checked out to you during the term and must be returned at the end of the term. Damaged iPods or other equipment must be paid for; students who fail to return iPods will have a hold on their record and be charged for the missing equipment. Please use the iPod and the course pod casting channel responsibly.  Materials here are for the class only and not for distribution. Materials must be wiped off your iPod prior to your turning in the machine. Final course grades will be docked 5 points for those students who do not remove the videos, images, and course materials from their iPod.

Attendance:  Regular attendance is expected.  Excessive absences (3 or more) can be grounds for a reduction in grade. There will be NO make-up exams without my consent.

PLEASE FOLLOW ALL ACADEMIC POLICIES IN THE UNIVERSITY CATALOG

Fire Drill Procedures:  In the event of a fire signal students will exit the building in a quick and orderly manner through the nearest hallway exit.  Learn the floor plan and exits of this building.  Do not use elevators.  Crawl on the floor if you encounter heavy smoke.  Assist disabled persons and others if possible without endangering your own life.  Assemble for a head count north of the building.

Requests for Modifications:  Any student requiring instructional modifications due to a documented disability should make an appointment to meet with the instructor as soon as possible.  An official letter from GC&SU documenting the disability will be expected in order to receive accommodations

BIOL 4950/5950 Origins: Scientific Views – KEY CONCEPTS

-- BASIC TENETS OF:

     PHILOSOPHY

              logic stemming from a central concept

     RELIGION

              belief in the supernatural (one or more gods is a central concept)

     SCIENCE

              testing ideas generated by observation (the scientific method)

-- LIFE HISTORY EVOLUTION 

              Characteristic Equation

-- Adaptive Topography  

shifting balance model of evolution

-- What is INTELLIGENCE? 

                Cognition, Perception, Appropriate Action, etc.

-- EVOLUTION OF INTELLIGENCE

                Vision, Bipedalism, Tool Making, Language, Social and Cultural Evolution

-- HUMAN DEVELOPMENT    

History, Male and Female Reproductive Biology,

                Fertilization, Early Development, Histogenesis and Morphogenesis of the

              Nervous System

-- PRIMATE EVOLUTION (PARTICULARLY HOMINIDS)  

                Adaptive shifts, Fossil Record, Biogeography, Niche evolution

-- Punctuated Equilibrium & Gradualism

              Tempo and Mode of evolution

-- Phylogeny  

Monophyly of Life, Adaptive Radiation, Cladistics

-- Ecology & Evolution

                Ecosystems, Niches, Population Models  dN/dt=rN(K-N/K)

-- Extinction   Parsimony, Lyellian Curves, etc.

-- ORIGIN OF LIFE 

Chemical Synthesis, experimental evidence

-- ORIGIN OF the earth, moon, & solar system 

Life History of Stars, Angular momentum, Layers of the Earth,

Atmospheric evolution

-- COSMOLOGY 

               Relativity, Big Bang, Inflation, Future of the Universe

--RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ETHICS & SCIENCE

COURSE OUTLINE

WEEK                                      SUBJECT                                                               

     1                                               Introduction and Orientation

    2                                    Science, Philosophy, and Religion

  3, 4                                  Human Intelligence

Feb. 6                                Test 1

  6, 7                                  Human Development

  8, 9                                  Human Origin

 10, 11                               Phylogeny

Apr. 5                                Test 2

 12, 13                               Origin of the Earth & Life

 14, 15                               Cosmology

Final Exam                      During scheduled time