Evolution of Cognition

Anna Dornhaus
WEDNESDAYS 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25, March 4, 11, 25, April 1, 8, 2015
Watch the video to learn more about this course

Evolution of Cognition

Spring 2015
Sold Out
WEDNESDAYS
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25, March 4, 11, 25, April 1, 8, 2015

Location: 

Main Campus

Tuition: 

$150

What is intelligence? What differentiates humans from other animals? This course explores the evolution of cognition in humans and other species, and discusses how science investigates these questions. Why are humans such a unique species on earth--or are we? Why we are so good at solving some problems and yet fail so often at solving others? Research in evolutionary biology has a lot of answers to questions about why animals behave the way they do, and we will examine how this applies to our own lives. We will also touch on the underlying neurobiology, for example, on why is it that insects are so smart (using tools, navigating huge areas, using languages) when their brains are no bigger than a pinhead?

Recommended Reading: 

Shettleworth, Sara J. Cognition, Evolution, and Behavior. Oxford University Press, 2009. ISBN-13: 978-0195319842.

Meet Your Professor

Professor
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

ANNA DORNHAUS got her PhD from the University of Würzburg. Her research centers on complex collective behaviors in social insects, ants, and bees—how they communicate or make decisions as a group, and how these strategies can be applied to distributed computing. In teaching she focuses on how the scientific method is key to gaining objective information, and with “The Cricket Project” she supports elementary school teachers in bringing hands-on science to the classroom.

Location

Poetry Center
Dorothy Rubel Room
1508 E Helen
Tucson, AZ 85721
United States
Located on the SE corner of Helen Street and Vine Avenue, one block north of Speedway and three blocks west of Campbell Ave.

Open Courses You May Also Be Interested In: