Human Evolution & Modern Society
HIST4876
Dr. Brian
Regal
Assistant Professor for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine
Department of History
W-205K
Website:
http://www.kean.edu/~bregal
bregal@kean.edu
Course Description:
An examination of the history of evolution studies, focusing on the controversial aspects of human evolution and how it impacts health care, religious culture, politics, and public education, from the 1600s to the present. The larger question of how evolution turned from science to contentious cultural issue.
Course Objectives:
Students will gain a familiarity with the concept of evolution and its relationship to science, society and religion. The lives of important scientists, researchers and philosophers of evolution as well as important discoveries and advances in the field. Social impact of evolution science upon religion, politics, the arts and culture will be studied. Students will apply methods of historical research and analysis to the topic, gain experience studying the hominid fossil record and show expertise through a series of examinations and written research projects. Basic methodologies and theories of studying the past as well as gain an understanding of the mechanics of human evolution and the hominid fossil record.
Illustration from T.H. Huxley's Man's Place in Nature
(1863)
_____________
Syllabus
Additional required readings
• The Elusive Basis of Creation Science
• The Most Important Biblical Discovery
• Bad Hair Days in the Paleolithic
• Science as an Apologetic for Creationism
• Some words history students should know
Supplemental Readings: recommended but not required
• Anti-Evolutionism and Creation in the United States
• Evolution's Struggle for Existence in Schools
• Creationism in 20th Century America
__________
Useful Links:
• A leading organization which
battles anti-evolutionism
NCSE National Center for Science Education
http://ncseweb.org/
• Study human evolution as a
career? Check this out.
School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University
graduate program
http://shesc.asu.edu/
• Creation Museum
http://www.creationmuseum.org/
• Darwin On-Line
All things Darwin including correspondence and diaries:
http://darwin-online.org.uk/
•
The Dispersal of Darwin
More great Darwin stuff
http://thedispersalofdarwin.blogspot.com/2008/07/archives-of-natural-history-siren.html
• Evolutionary Biology Resource
page, St. Anselm College
http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/jpitocch/resevol.html
• Talk Origins Archive
http://www.talkorigins.org/origins/other-links.html
•
Human Origins and Evolution in Africa, Indiana University, Bloomington
http://www.indiana.edu/~origins/
•
Dover Pa. Intelligent Design case, American Radio Works
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/inteldesign/
•
Hear my friend Professor Holly Dunsworth, Penn State University, discuss
human evolution on National Public Radio (5/11/2008):
This I believe, NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90311455
Jack Chick's anti-evolution wonderland
http://www.chick.com/default.asp
The monkeys of London, Grant Museum, UCL.
__________
• Kean University Department of History Main Page http://www.kean.edu/~history/
• Kean University Main
Page
http://www.kean.edu/
Also see the History of science, technology and medicine main page.
http://www.kean.edu/~history/academic%20disciplines%20pages/history%20of%20science%20page.htm
