MSc Phil Hist Sci

Philosophy of Biological and Cognitive Sciences

Tuesdays 12-1.30

Lecture Room, Dept of Philosophy, KCL

 

Matteo Mameli and David Papineau

 

 

 

Course Outline

 

Essay Suggestions

 

Class 1 9 October-Selfish Genes

Class 2 16 October-Non-Genetic Selection

Class 3 23 October-Functions and Adaptationism

Class 4 30 October-Representation and Teleosemantics plus (Preparatory Reading)

 

Class 5 13 November-Reduction, Selection and Special Sciences

Class 6 20 November-Innateness

Class 7 27 November-Baldwin Effect

Class 8 4 December-Group Selection

Class 9 11 December-Drift and Natural Selection

 

Class 10 8 January-Adaptationist Evolutionary Psychology

Class 11 15 January-Mental Modularity

Class 12 22 January-Evolution and Ethics

Class 13 29 January- Guest Speaker: Kevin Brosnan on evolution and ethics

Class 14 5 February-Evolution and Ethics (continued)

 

Class 15 19 February-Guest Speaker: Cecilia Heyes on innate cognitive structures

Class 16 26 February-Transmitted Culture as an Adaptation

Class 17 4 March-Memetics and Co-Evolution

Class 18 11 March-Guest Speaker: Alex Mesoudi on cultural evolution

Class 19 18 March-Guest Speaker: Simon Blackburn