BIOL 081 - Why Be Nice? The Evolution of Ethics, Morality, and Cooperation

FC NSMA QFR

4 credits
Ethics, morality, cooperation: At first pass, these concepts seem to be the domain of religion and philosophy, but evolutionary biologists have been interested in them for decades. This course asks whether evolutionary theory can explain cooperation and altruism in humans and other animals in spite of their “selfish genes”. But it also asks whether evolutionary theory can account for complex human phenomena like religion, economic exchange, and political alliances. We will explore these issues through readings, discussion, modeling exercises, and graphical analysis.