Topic objectives

1. Understand conditions in Earth’s early atmosphere that may have led to life

2. Understand the development of evolutionary theory

~ challenges to the static world

~ influences on Darwin’s development of his ideas

3. Be able to summarize Darwin’s ideas

4. Be able to explain what is meant by “Evolution by Natural Selection and Differential Reproduction”

5. Understand when evolution and natural selection apply to individuals and populations

6. Understand how evolution can be applied the origins of disease

Monday Reading Assignment

· Trefil and Hazen, The Sciences, 3^rd edition, chapter 25 pp 552-557; 561-564.

1. General understanding of the topic objectives

2. Describe the development of evolutionary thought from the ancient Greeks à Christian Philosophy à Darwinian thought

3. Describe how Darwin’s observations while on the HMS beagle and his reading of Lyell and Malthus helped shape his ideas.

4. Compare Darwin’s ideas with Lamarck

5. What general kinds of evidence are used to support the theory of evolution? How is each kind of evidence used to support the theory of evolution?

6. Summarize Darwin’s ideas and apply them to population of organisms

Wednesday Reading Assignment

Nease, Randolph M. and George C. Williams. 1998. Evolution and the Origins of Disease. Scientific American. November 1998. pp. 86-93.

1. Explain / discuss the basic differences between how traditional medicine and Darwinian medicine view disease.

2. Discuss the evolutionary explanation behind each of the following categories. Be able to give at least one example in each category:

a. evolved defenses

b. conflicts with other organisms

c. novel environments

d. trade-offs / cost-benefit

e. constraints due to natural selection