USEM 170 - The Use and Abuse of Darwinism

Students help decide what topics are covered in the course, but they might include the following: cultural versus biological evolution, the genetic basis of traits with sociological implications (IQ, schizophrenia, sexual preference), the biological basis of morality, artificial intelligence and the power of genetic algorithms, game theory in the stock market, the tragedy of the commons, the philosophical versus economic arguments for maintaining biodiversity, creationism, and historical perspectives on how the improper interpretations of evolution have contributed to social and moral outrages such as racism, eugenics and social Darwinism.

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