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Special Topics BIS 393A, W 05
Biology and Society
Topics, Activities, Readings (pdfs)
Week 1
Mon Jan 3 The Social Origins & Implications of Evolution & Genetics Introduction to the course
REQUIRED READINGS
1. Stephen Jay Gould, "A Darwin for Every Reason"
Wed Jan 5 Divine Will and Natural Laws Lecture & discussionREQUIRED READINGS 1. John Hedley Brooke, “Natural Theology”2. William Paley, Natural Theology3. Thomas Malthus, An Essay on the Principle of Population
EXTRA Mott Greene, “Genesis and Geology Revisited” (pdf)
Natural Theology of Paley (web)Thomas Robert Malthus (web)Good introductory books on history of evolution ( on reserve): Peter Bowler, Evolution: The History of An Idea; Edward Larson, Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory; Martin Fichman, Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture; Philip Appleman, ed., Darwin.
Week 2
Mon Jan 10 Transformation in Nature and Society before DarwinLecture
HOMEWORK #1 DUEREQUIRED READINGS1. William Coleman, “Transformation”2. Steven Shapin, “Revolutionary Biology”3. G. Blair Nelson, “‘Men Before Adam!’ American Debates over the Unity and Antiquity of Humanity”
EXTRA Genesis Nancy Leys Stepan, “Race and Gender: The Role of Analogy in Science” (pdf)A History of Evolutionary Thought (web)Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (web)Robert Chambers (web)Adrian Desmond, “Artisan Resistance and Evolution in Britain, 1819-48" (web)
Wed Jan 12 Darwin and Evolution by Natural Selection, 1859Lecture & discussion
HOMEWORK #2 DUEREQUIRED READINGS 1. James Moore, "Charles Darwin" 2. Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species 3. Charles Darwin, Autobiography4. John Hedley Brooke, “Evolutionary Theory and Religious Belief”
EXTRA James Moore, “Why Darwin Gave Up Christianity” (pdf)Robert Young, "Darwin's Metaphor: Does Nature Select?" (web)Charles Darwin (web)About Darwin.com (web)Teach Evolution and Make it Relevant (web)
Week 3
Week 4
Mon Jan 24 Man’s Place in Nature and Evolutionary Ethics AND Evolution in FictionLecture & discussion of the NOVEL
HOMEWORK #4 DUE (bibliography exercise)REQUIRED READINGS (new version) 1. Martin Fichman, Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture2. H. G. Wells, “Human Evolution, an Artificial Process”3. H. G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau [whole book]
EXTRA Charles Darwin, Descent of Man [I will summarize in class] T. H. Huxley, “Evolution and Ethics” [I will summarize in class -- this is important for understanding Wells] T. H. Huxley, “Prolegomena” [longer part of the same essay, I will summarize]
Wed Jan 26 Social Darwinism AND Eugenics
(readings have changed to combine 2 topics)1. Peter Bowler, “The Social Implications of Evolutionism”2. Karl Pearson, National Life from the Standpoint of Science3 . Garland Allen, "Genetics, Eugenics, and the Medicalization of Social Behavior"
EXTRA Daniel Kevles, “Francis Galton, Founder of the Faith” "Social Darwinism" from Wikipedia (web)Andrew Carnegie, The Gospel of Wealth (web, 1889) Garland Allen, “Revolt from Morphology II: Heredity and Evolution”
Week 5
Week 6
Mon Feb 7 Critical Perspectives on Human Genetics since 1940Discussion
ESSAY #1 DUEREQUIRED READINGS 1. Diane Paul, “Eugenic Anxieties, Social Realities, and Political Choices”2. Evelyn Fox Keller, "Nature, Nurture, and the Human Genome Project" 3. Adrienne Asch, “Prenatal Diagnosis and Selective Abortion: A Challenge to Practice and Policy”
EXTRA (added later): Ruth Chadwick: "Can Genetic Couselling Avoid the Charge of Eugenics?"Deborah Kaplan, "Pre-natal Screening and Diagnosis: The Impact on Persons with Disabilities"
Wed Feb 9 Evolution on Trial, 1925Lecture & discussionREQUIRED READINGS 1. Edward Larson, “The Scopes Trial”2. Ronald Numbers, “The Creationists”3. W. J. Bryan, et al., “God and Evolution”
EXTRA Stephen Jay Gould, “William Jennings Bryan’s Last Campaign”Famous Trials in American History: Tennessee vs. John Scopes (web)The Truth about Inherit the Wind (web)
Week 7
Mon Feb 14 “Creation Science,” Religion, and Public Education to 1987Lecture & discussion REQUIRED READINGS 1. Evolution vs. Creationism: The Public Education Controversy 2. "What Do Creation Scientists Believe?" (web)3. John A. Moore, "The Rise of 'Creation Science' 1963"4. Douglas Futuyma, "Hypotheses, Facts, and the Nature of Science" (web)(reread second half of Numbers from Feb 9)
EXTRA "McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education, 1982" (web) [highly recommended -- read the testimony and judge's decision on what counts as "science"] Edwards v. Aguillard, 1987 (web)Institute for Creation Research (web)
Creation Science Homepage (web) Pope John Paul II, "Truth Cannot Contradict Truth" [1996 statement on evolution] (web)Stephen Jay Gould, "Nonoverlapping Magisteria" (web)Stephen Jay Gould, "Evolution as Fact and Theory" (web)
Wed Feb 16 Biological Determinism Returns: IQ and Sociobiology Controversies, 1970sLecture & discussionREQUIRED READINGS 1. Steven Rose, et al., Not in Our Genes2. E. O. Wilson, On Human Nature3. The Sociobiology Debate [essays pro & con]
EXTRA Ruth Bleier, “Sex Differences Research: Science or Belief?"Hans Eysenck, "Science, Racism, and Sexism" [academic freedom?]"Against Sociobiology" (web religious journal First Things)
Week 8
Mon Feb 21 Holiday
Wed Feb 23 Gene Worship: From DNA to the HGP, 1953-2003Lecture & discussion
HOMEWORK #6 DUEREQUIRED READINGS 1. Robert Proctor, "Genomics and Eugenics: How Fair is the Comparison?"2. Dorothy Nelkin & Susan Lindee, “The Media-ted Gene: Stories of Gender and Race”3. Roger Lancaster, “The Biology of the Homosexual”
EXTRA Look up your favorite trait! Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man homepage (National Center for Biotechnology Information) Daniel Kevles, "Out of Eugenics: The Historical Politics of the Human Genome" (pdf) Linda Birke, “In Pursuit of Difference: Scientific Studies of Women and Men” (pdf)
National Human Genome Research Institute website [part of NIH]Genome Programs of the Dept of Energy websiteYour Genes Your Health homepage (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) Genetic Disorder Information on the Web (HGP) "Do Genes Determine if We are Gay or Straight?" (Council for Responsible Genetics website) "Burlington Northern Case: Workplace Genetic Testing""Genetic Testing" (PBS NewsHour, June 2001) Susan Wright, "Varieties of Secrets and Secret Varieties: The Case of Biotechnology" (web, 1999) "Jack or Jill? The Era of Consumer-Driven Eugenics Has Begun" (Atlantic Monthly, March 2002) Ruth Hubbard, "Yuppie Eugenics: Creating a World with Genetic Have and Have-nots""Stupidity Should be Cured, Says DNA Discoverer" (New Scientist, Feb 2003)
Week 9
Mon Feb 28 Intelligence, Crime, and Race: Politics of Genetic Difference, 1990s
Guest lecture Cinnamon Hillyard
REQUIRED READINGS
1. Commentaries on The Bell Curve
2. Mitchell Cohen, "Is Violence in Your Genes? The Violence Initiative Project: Coming Soon to an Inner City Near You"
3. "Does Race Exist?" [web, Scientific American cover story, Nov 2003]
EXTRA Richard Lewontin, "The Irrelevance of Heritability"Barry Mehler, "Foundation for Fascism" [on Rushton and Pioneer Fund] Pioneer Fund homepageInstitute for the Study of Academic Racism [Barry Mehler] Bradley Foundation homepage [neo-con funder of Charles Murray] Critique of the Bradley Foundation (MediaTransparency, Mar 2000) J. Phillippe Rushton homepageThe Charles Darwin Research Institute [founded by Rushton as "a 501(c)(3) charity set up to guarantee academic freedom for research on race differences."]
Rushton, "Darwin's Really Dangerous Idea"
Richard Lynn homepageMankind Quarterly journal [see library catalogue] Future Generations [pro-eugenics website] "US Gov Funds Eugenics Research" [1993 report of Violence Initiative]"Genes, Medicine, and the New Race Debate" [Word, 2003]"The Genome in Black and White (and Gray)" [Word, NY Times, Oct 2004]
Wed Mar 2 Evolutionary Psychology Today: Claims about Universal Human NatureDiscussionREQUIRED READINGS 1. Michael Ruse and E. O. Wilson, “The Evolution of Ethics” (pro)2. Philip Kitcher, “The Hypothalamic Imperative” (con)3. Anne Fausto-Sterling, “Beyond Difference: Feminism and Evolutionary Psychology” (con)4. Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer, "Why Men Rape" (pro) (large pdf 1.45M, The Sciences, 2000). I added this reading on the day of discussion. It's well worth looking at this most notorious example of EP theorizing and its social implications, and would be useful for an essay on gender/sex.
EXTRA "Evolutionary Psychology" (Wikipedia)Favorable accounts of evolutionary psychology [see also EO Wilson from Feb 16]: David Barash, "The Myth of Monogamy" (pdf Salon, 2001, popular writing by a leading EP scholar) "Looking for Personality in Animals, of All People" (pdf NY Times, Mar 1, 2005) Paul Thompson, "Evolutionary Ethics: Its Origins and Contemporary Face" (pdf scholarly article by a philosopher who uses EE) "Behavioral Genetics" (HGP website) Critical accounts of evolutionary psychology: Elizabeth Lloyd, "Violence Against Science: Rape and Evolution" (pdf scholarly article) "Not an Inkling" (web, negative review of EP book) Stephen Jay Gould, "Darwinian Fundamentalism" (web, 1997) "'God Gene' Discovered by Scientist behind Gay DNA Theory” (Nov 11, 2004)Jerome Groopman, “God on the Brain” (New Yorker, Sept 17, 2001)
Week 10 -- essay due on Mar 14
Mon Mar 7 Intelligent Design Creationism: The Wedge Strategy
DiscussionREQUIRED READINGS Could be useful for the essay! 1. Phillip Johnson, "The Intelligent Design Movement: Challenging the Modernist Monopoly on Science"2. "Intelligent Design" from Wikipedia (web)3. Center for [the Renewal of] Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute, "The Wedge Strategy" (web)4. Chris Mooney, "Research and Destroy" (web)5. (added late) "God or Science?" (web, Nov 23, 2004, Christian Science Monitor sums up recent ID moves in PA, GA)
EXTRA Barbara Forrest, "The Wedge at Work" (web critique of DI)Discovery Institute websiteNational Center for Science Education website (advocacy and news) International Society for Complexity, Information, and Design website"Icons of Evolution?" (web)
Theocracy Watch website, "Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party"Americans United for Separation of Church and State website"Avenging Angel of the Religious Right" (Salon, Jan 6, 2004)
"God's Venture Capitalist" (Slate, June 8, 1997)
Recent news on right-wing DI funder Ahmanson (web, Observer, March 6)
Phillip Johnson, "Intelligent Design, Freedom, and Education" (web, on implementing Santorum Amendment to No Child Left Behind)
"Evolution takes a back seat in US classrooms" (pdf NY Times, Feb 1, on pressure not to teach it)
"Who are those Christians?" (Seattle PI, Jan 16, taxonomy of faiths)
Intelligent design tactics in the news:
Kansas Schools Struggle (NPR Feb 8)
"Ohio adopts 'critical analysis of evolution" curriculum" (website of faith-based group, Mar 2004)
"School board OKs challenges to evolution" (PA rural county mandates balanced treatment for ID, web, Nov 2004)
"Judge: Evolution stickers unconstitutional" (CNN, Cobb Co. Georgia textbook disclaimer ruling, Jan 13, 2005)
Michael Ruse, "Darwinism and Atheism: A Marriage Made in Heaven?" (web)
Michael Ruse, The Evolution Wars: A Guide to the Debates (ebook, see library catalogue)
Wed Mar 9 Evolution, Morality, and the Meaning of LifeDiscussionREQUIRED READINGS 1. William Provine, "Evolution and the Foundation of Ethics"2. William Dembski, "Ten Questions to Ask Your Biology Teacher about Design"3. Kenneth Miller, "Finding Darwin's God"ESSAY #2 DUE Mon Mar 14, 3:30 pmSubmit by email to jwoiak
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