"Light will be thrown..." With these modest words, Charles Darwin launched a sweeping new theory of life in his epic book, On the Origin of Species (1859). The theory opened eyes and minds around the world to a radical new understanding of the flora and fauna of the planet. Here, Darwin showed for the first time that no supernatural processes are necessary to explain the profusion of living beings on earth, that all organisms past and present are related in a historical branching pattern of descent, and that human beings fall into place quite naturally in the web of all life. Now, 150 years later and 200 years after Darwins birth, we celebrate the amazingly productive vision and reach of his theory. In this Fall Quarter course, we will meet weekly with leading Darwin scholars from around the country to learn about Darwins far-reaching legacy in fields as diverse as anthropology, religion, medicine, psychology, philosophy, literature, and biology. Editor's Note: The opinions and scholarly conclusions expressed in this course are solely those of the speakers that present them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Stanford University or Academic Earth.
Lectures
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Lecture 1 - Course Intro: Darwin's Legacy
Introductory lecture by William Durham for the Stanford Continuing Studies course on Darwin's Legacy. Professor Durham provides an overview of the course; Professor Robert Siegel touches upon "Darwin's Own Evolution;" Professor Durham returns for a talk on "Darwin's Data;" and the lecture concludes with a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Lynn Rothschild.
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Lecture 2 - Evolution Versus Creationism
Dr. Eugenie Scott explores the evolution vs. creationism debate and provides an argument for evolution. The lecture is concluded with a panel discussion with Brent Sockness and Jeff Wine.
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Lecture 3 - Biography of Charles Darwin
Dr. Janet Browne presents a biography on Charles Darwin and explores Darwin's Origin of Species. The lecture is concluded with a panel discussion with Craig Heller and Robert Proctor.
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Lecture 4 - The Philosophical Importance of Darwin's Theory
Dr. Daniel Dennett presents the philosophical importance of Darwin's theory of evolution. The lecture is concluded with a panel discussion with Hank Greely and Chris Bobonich.
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Lecture 5 - How and Why Species Multiply
Peter and Rosemary Grant discuss how and why species multiply. The lecture is concluded with a panel discussion with Carol Boggs and Rodolfo Dirzo.
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Lecture 6 - Darwin's Life and Work
Dr. Niles Eldredge discusses Darwin's life and work. The lecture is concluded with a panel discussion with Ward Watt and Liz Hadly.
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Lecture 7 - Social Darwinism
Professor Melissa Brown speaks about the history and consequences of social Darwinism, and offers insight into new ways of thinking about social evolution.
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Lecture 8 - Evolution and Cancer Research
Dr. Paul Ewald speaks about how several pathogenic viruses have evolved over time to break down the cell's barriers to several types of cancer. He suggests that further research will aid in the discovery of additional viruses linked to the causation of cancer. The lecture is concluded with a panel discussion with Gary Schoolnik and Stanley Falkow.
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Lecture 9 - How Social Behavior Changes the Brain
Dr. Russell Fernald discusses how social behavior changes the brains of fish, animals, and humans to adapt to situations typically involving mating behaviors. The lecture is concluded with a panel discussion with Eric Knudsen and Charles Junkerman.
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Lecture 10 - Darwin's Literary Works
Dr. Levine discusses through analysis of Darwin's literary works, ways of seeing and being enchanted by the world as well as the poetic eloquence of Darwin's prose. The lecture is concluded with a discussion between Dr. Levine and Rob Polhemus.
