| Freshman Seminar: NATURE, NURTURE, AND COGNITION | |
| 050.112 Fall 2004 | |
| Wednesday, 2:00-4:45pm, Krieger 134A | |
| Using both seminal and contemporary readings as a foundation, this seminar explores how genetics and experience interact to influence thinking, understanding, and the underlying cognitive processes (both human and otherwise). In so doing, we will discuss how innate determination of various components of cognition ultimately influence human nature. |
| Instructor | William
Badecker |
Readings
Primary Text: Steve Pinker. (2002). The Blank Slate. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Papers and excerpts:
Class Schedule
| DATE | TOPICS and ASSIGNMENTS | READINGS (in preparation for this meeting) |
| Sept 8
|
Organizational
issues; Historical Background |
|
Sept 15
|
On Natural Selection |
excerpts from Darwin's On the Origin of Species. |
| Sept 22
|
Darwin's
account of moral & cognitive faculties in man First writing assignment due |
"On the development of intellectual and moral faculties" (excerpts from Darwin's The Descent of Man, 1874) |
Sept 29
|
Can the
mind be a blank slate at birth? First peer review due |
Pinker, chapters 1-3 |
| Oct 6
|
Connecting
culture & society to biology and evolution; |
Pinker,
chapters 4-5 |
Oct 13
|
Evolutionary
psychology and value |
Pinker, chapters 6-8 |
| Oct 20
|
Fears,
foibles and first thouhts on human nature Second writing assignment due |
Pinker, chapters 9-12 |
Oct 27 |
Cognitive
toolboxes and their origins Second peer review due |
Pinker,
chapters 13-15 |
| Nov 3
|
What's
so inevitable in politics? Third writing assignment due |
Pinker, chapter 16 |
Nov 10
|
Violence Third peer review due |
Pinker,
chapter 17 |
| Nov 17
|
Gender | Pinker, chapter 18 |
Nov 24* (*to be rescheduled) |
Children
(& parents) Draft of final paper due |
Pinker, chapter 19 |
| Dec 1
|
Aesthetics & beyond | Pinker, chapter 20 to end of Section 4 |
| Dec
10 |
Final Paper due: | |
Writing Assignments
There will be three short written assignments in the first eight weeks
of the class. These assignments must be turned in at the beginning of the class
in duplicate (one copy for the professor, one copy for peer review). Formatting
instructions will be provided in class. Papers that are turned in improperly
formatted will be returned for reformatting and scored as late.
| Writing Assignment | Peer Review | ||
| 1 | Identify the writer's thesis and the key point of each paragraph; Where does the writer end up with regard to the stated goal of the paper? | ||
| 2 | Identify the writer's argument: | ||
| 3 | Identify / critique the logic of the writer's argument | ||
| Term paper | ***** |
Grading and Attendance
Grading will be based equally on participation in seminar discussions
and on written assignments. Seminar participants are expected to complete the
reading assignments before the beginning of the class for which they
are assigned.
Attendance is mandatory; there will be a sign-in sheet distributed at the beginning of each class, and participants will be required to validate their attendance with their signatures.
Bring a copy of the readings to class along with the notes you take while reading.
Ethics
The strength of the university
depends on academic and personal integrity. In this course, you must be honest
and truthful. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse
of assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized
collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification,
lying, facilitating academic dishonesty, and unfair competition.
Participants in this course are expected to adhere to the undergraduate code of ethics. The university requests that you report any violations that you witness to the instructor. You may consult the associate dean of student affairs and/or the chairman of the Ethics Board beforehand. See the the Ethics Board web site for more information. Details concerning the ethics code are found in the on-line undergraduate academic manual.