300327 VO Introduction into Human Ethology (2009W)

This lecture will provide students with the basis for a clear understanding of the principles of evolutionary theory and its effects on behaviour. Most errors in the discussion about evolutionary biology (and above all its implications for human behaviour) occur out of misintertpreted theoretical key-concepts. This course consists of two parts: first we will cover the theoretical key principles of evolutionary theory, and in the second part we will present an overview of the evolution of primates and humans, quasi as a framework for the interpreation of the lectures.
1) primate taxonomy and evolutionary history
2) evolution and origins of modern humans
3) natural selection and fitness
4) kin selection and reciprocal altruism
5) sexual selection
6) theory of parent-child-conflicts and sex ratios
7) evolutionary stable strategies and game theory
8) life-history theory
9) Darwins dangerous idea
10) Darwins impact on non-biological topics