Dean's Scholars Seminar
Who Wins: Species, Tribes, and Continents
In the battle for control of our planet, who has been winning and why?
We will read and discuss:
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Diamond, Jared, The Third Chimpanee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal, and
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Diamond, Jared, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
In the first of these books, Diamond argues the case for people: why did we take over the planet, as opposed to other species that may be bigger, stronger, faster, more adapted to cold, have bigger brains, or whatever. In the second book (actually written earlier), Diamond asks the question, "Why did particular groups of people win over others and come to dominate the planet?"
We'll also look at other books that propose alternative answers to these questions, possibly including:
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Herrnstein, Richard and Charles Murray, The Bell Curve : Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life
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Fraser, Steve, The Bell Curve Wars : Race, Intelligence, and the Future of America
We will have a few guest lectures, with the rest of the class meetings devoted to student-led discussions of these books.