Schedule of Classes

The foundations of the human species. Examination of scientific evidence from Darwinian theory, primate behavior, fossils, and the behavior of modern people.

An examination of the physical and biological laws that influence agriculture, pollution, population dynamics (including humans), climate, biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. Not available for major credit.

The human organism; the nature of inherited and acquired diseases; the biological and societal basis for the AIDS epidemic; therapy, drug design and the future. Not available for major credit.

Scientific principles underlying molecular approaches to diagnosis and treatment of diseases, using specific models within a societal (business, legal, ethical) context. Not available for major credit.

The physiological and nutritional basis of human performance. Factors that facilitate and limit athletic achievement. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Not available for major credit.

Impact of civilization on planet earth, and impact of earth's natural evolution on society: earthquakes, volcanism, landslides, floods, global warming, acid rain, groundwater depletion and pollution; mineral and fossil fuel depletion, formation of the ozone hole. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. One all-day or overnight field trip.

Basic principles of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics used in evaluating clues written in the rock record, and the processes that have shaped our planet. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. At least one field trip required.

Climate systems from the beginning of earth history to the present; tools and techniques used to reconstruct prehistoric climate records; effects of climate variations on development of life forms on earth.

Causes of earthquakes and nature of large faults; earthquake hazard and risk; world's great earthquakes; understanding the Richter scale. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours; one fieldtrip required.

Energy resources from a global perspective, including fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewable energy.

Language within cognitive science: speech physiology and acoustics, language acquisition, reading, language disorders, perception and mental representation of words, linguistic diversity and computer analysis of speech.

Study of human linguistic competence and technologies that simulate it. Grammar, parsing, text generation; semantics, pragmatics, sense disambiguation; phonetics, speech synthesis, speech recognition.

The nature and limits of knowledge and explanation, and challenges in understanding the origin of the universe and the place of intelligent life within it.

Investigation of energy technologies, including development and implementation issues. Topics include the Industrial Revolution, electromagnetic induction, power transmission, combustion engines, fission and fusion. Not available for major credit.

An integrative systems perspective of drugs; including their historical, economic, and cultural importance, psychopharmacology, addiction, relationship to crime, and therapeutic use in treating psychological disorders.

Evaluates scientific research on human happiness. Integrates research from psychology, economics, and neuroscience in the evaluation of personal and public policy choices.

An exploration of earth's water, ranging from water properties, chemistry, and pollution, to groundwater dynamics, watershed processes, and oceanic-atmospheric circulation. Implications for past and future societies. Lecture and laboratory.