Office of the Registrar
Campus Address
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03755-3529
Phone: (603) 646-xxxx
Fax: (603) 646-xxxx
Email: reg@Dartmouth.EDU

Organization, Regulations, and Courses 2023-24


BIOL 11.08 Animal Minds

Darwin claimed that other species share the same “mental powers” as humans, only to different degrees. This course will examine the evidence for Darwin’s claim, focusing on the evolutionary, neural, and molecular basis of animal cognition. We will ask how and why organisms behave as they do, exploring the ways in which evolution has adapted organisms’ information gathering, perception, learning ability, memory, and decision making to both their physical and social world. Key examples will be drawn from navigation, tool-use, communication, and cultural imitation. An overarching emphasis will be placed on the active process of scientific discovery, especially how strong inference and multiple competing hypotheses enable scientists to make discoveries.

Note: For many students, BIOL 11 will be the entrance course to the major.  To help students determine if they are sufficiently prepared to enter a foundation course directly, the Biology department has established an online self-assessment exam for students.  Students who have any concerns about their preparedness should take BIOL 11 before enrolling in a foundation course.  BIOL 11 may be counted toward the biology major if it is taken either during the first year or as the first biology course counted toward the major.  Only one offering of BIOL 11 may be taken for credit

Instructor

Staff

Prerequisite

No prerequisites

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:SCI

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Offered

  • Spring