BIOL 169NWhat it means to be human

3 credits · Biology · Penn State

This course will investigate the distinctiveness of Homo sapiens, using fossil and non-human animal comparisons to highlight how modern humans are both similar to and different from other species. Basic elements from the fields of biology, genetics, anatomy, physiology, ecology, cognition, neuroscience, social psychology, and anthropology will be integrated for a complete and robust picture of humans and their place in the animal world. Furthermore, students will expand upon this integration of fields to make inferences about how an individual's or society's perspective on human uniqueness, or the lack thereof, impacts decisions and behaviors relevant to research ethics, environmental policy, educational policy, religion, and/or social issues.