What makes us human? What is our place in nature? What does it mean to be human? Throughout your college career, the classes you take in various academic disciplines and Ways of Knowing will provide some clarity on these timeless questions. In the course we approach these questions from an anthropology perspective, which is interdisciplinary, analytical, critical, and holistic. It is an overview of human evolution with a focus on the origins and characteristics of our taxonomic family Hominidae, genus Homo, and species sapiens. We will examine the fossil record in a chronological order, which begins around 6~7 million years ago when our family lineage diverged from the common ancestor that also gave rise to modern chimpanzees. We first cover the fundamentals of biology and geology that are essential for understanding the theory of evolution, and the biology and behavior of extant monkeys and apes that are our closest living relatives. The format of the course is mainly lectures, supplemented with class discussions, readings, and fossil casts.
- Teacher: Helen Cho