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evolution

Evolution and Literature Web Papers 4

This is the fourth, and final, set of webpapers to emerge from The Story of Evolution and the Evolution of Stories, a course offered at Bryn Mawr College in Spring 2009. As the semester ends, students are making use of the biological, philosophical and literary stories of the course to create new, interesting, useful stories of their own.

Take a look around, and feel warmly welcome to respond in the comment area available at the end of each paper. What strikes, intrigues, puzzles you...what, among your reactions, might be of interest or use to the writer, or others in the class, or others who--exploring the internet--might be in search of a thoughtful conversation about evolution and literature?

amirbeyWhitman: a scientist?
amoskowiWhat Matters
aseidmanWhodunit?
aybala50Darwin May Have Missed Something
ccricharLost Wax in the Divergent and Convergent Modes
dshaninThe Co-Evolution of Biology and Technology
eawhiteA Continuation of the Story of Evolution
eawhiteParentage
eglaserThe Self in Art Or What You Can Learn From an Academic Paper
enewbernThe Question of Literature and Other Quandaries
eoleckiThe Story of Evolution and the Evolution of Stories: Charter School Edition
epeck01The Dilemma of Choice and Questioning in Education
fquadriThe Emergence and Evolution of Belief, Religion, and the Concept of God Pt II
Hilary McGowanQuest For Evolution
ibarkasMy Own Odyssey
Jackie MaranoA Storytelling Adventure: From Darwin, to Literature, and Back Again
jaferrBlondes and Dialects: Parallels in Evolution
kapelianFiction or not?
kbrandallMeaning by Association
kcofrinshaEvolving Views on Education and the Nature of Knowledge
kgouldEvolution of Myths, Memes, and Me
L.Kelly-BowditchWhen The Humanities and Science Collide
lewilliamsThrough the Fog: Final Paper
Lisa B.Does Evolution Come From Art?
LS2The Trauma of Evolution
MarinaFinal Paper
mcurrieChemicals, Relationships, Weddings, Stories
merlinThe Purpose of Storytelling - The Evolution of a Viewpoint
mfraderaEvolution in Film
Rachel TownsendThe Evolution of Stories and Stories of Evolution: Walt Whitman’s Multitudes
Rica Dela CruzEvolution: The Theory That Pits Science Against Religion
rmehtaGeneralizing and Genre-lizing
skhemkaLet's talk science
Student BloggerCreativity As A Product of Necessity: Through the Lens of Medicine and Ballet
sustainablephilosopherNew Environmental Stories to Heed Biological Evolution
Tara RajuDifferent Means, Same End: The Demise of Literary Fiction
unidentifiedflyingobjectThe act of confession in literature

 

Evolution and Literature Web Papers 3

This is the third set of webpapers to emerge from The Story of Evolution and the Evolution of Stories, a course offered at Bryn Mawr College in Spring 2009. Three months into the semester, students are thinking about aspects of the evolution of literary stories that particularly interest--or are useful--to them.

Take a look around, and feel warmly welcome to respond in the comment area available at the end of each paper. What strikes, intrigues, puzzles you...what, among your reactions, might be of interest or use to the writer, or others in the class, or others who--exploring the internet--might be in search of a thoughtful conversation about evolution and literature?

amirbeyDiverging through Picasso's paintings
amoskowiWho You Love- Erik and Miranda
aseidmanCharacter Study
aybala50Ambiguity Through Time
ccricharThe Evolution of a Sculpture
dshaninThe Multitudes of Whitman
eawhiteBeginning, Middle and End
eglaserMo laime toi vs. I love you: The Merging and Divergence of Evolving Languages
enewbernProse Evolution: Before and After Walt Whitman
eoleckiRoots of Sky-Evolving From Walt Whitman
epeck01The Evolution of the Mind
fquadriWhy We Like What We Like and Its Effect on Literary Evolution
Hilary McGowanDefining Science and Literature
Hilary McGowanDefining Science and Literature
ibarkasEvolution and the Unconscious Mind
Jackie MaranoThe Human Unconscious: The Mechanism for Literary Evolution
jaferrLiterature & Language
jrlewisWhitman's Desire to Merge and its Implications
kapelianChanges and Elements of Comics
kbrandallOld and New
kcofrinshaFamily History and Cultural Evolution
kgouldAltruism in Sorrows of an American
L.Kelly-BowditchThe Evolution of Contra Dancing
lewilliamsThrough the Fog
Lisa B.Arrowsmith: Sinclair Lewis and the Transformation of Twentieth-Century Medicine
LS2Whitman and Convergence
MarinaMemetics as an Approach to Whitman and Hustvedt
mcurrieTale of the Romance Novel
merlinThe Evolution of the Sailboat and its effect on Culture
mfraderaMarina's paper 3
Rachel TownsendThe Art Instinct: Evolving Creativity
Rica Dela CruzFrom Ancient Storytelling, to Books, and Then to Films
rmehtaEvolving the "happily ever after"
skhemkaEvolution Of Evolutionary Literature
SophiaolenderThe Evolution
Student BloggerWhy Recreate Art?
sustainablephilosopher "Evolutionary" and "non-evolutionary" genres: a valid divide?
Tara RajuSorry Fiction, Your Time Maybe Up
unidentifiedflyingobjectContemporary American Landscapes

 

Evolution and Literature Web Papers 2

This is the second set of webpapers to emerge from The Story of Evolution and the Evolution of Stories, a course offered at Bryn Mawr College in Spring 2009. Two months into the semester, students are thinking through aspects of the story of evolution beyond the context of biology which are of particular interest or use to them.

Take a look around, and feel warmly welcome to respond in the comment area available at the end of each paper. What strikes, intrigues, puzzles you...what, among your reactions, might be of interest or use to the writer, or others in the class, or others who--exploring the internet--might be in search of a thoughtful conversation about evolution and literature?

amirbeyWhich type of education should we give to a child?
amoskowiYes, in Fact- Dennett's attitude and intelligent design
aseidmanTrunk Show
aybala50The Restriction's Placed On Us Because of a "Search For Meaning"
ccricharUniversal Acid as a Metaphor
dshaninConstructing the Mind
eawhiteThe Evolution of Abortion Laws and Practices
eglaserMyth into Science or Science into Myth
enewbernThe "F-word" Redefined
eoleckiBeaks, Wings, and Morality
epeck01Lack of Free Will as a Viable Option
fquadriEvolution of Religion
Hilary McGowanWeb Paper 2
Hilary McGowanA bit of Fiction
ibarkasLanguage or Culture?The Chicken or the Egg?
Jackie MaranoDennett's Dangerous Idea: Defining Objectivity Subjectively
jaferrThe Evolution of Ideas
jrlewisUniversal and the Meaning of Life
kapelianFrom movies to TV; cultural shifts and cartoons
kbrandallEvolution and Conservation of Meaning
kcofrinshaEvolution and the Construction of Knowledge
kgouldZounds, Skyhooks, and Bootyliscious: The Evolution of Words
L.Kelly-BowditchEvolution of Freedom
lewilliamsEvolution of Creation Stories
Lisa B.Evolution of Fashion: Clothing as a Means of Class Distinction
LS2Dennett and Linear Evolution
MarinaThe Evolution of Psychology: Moving Towards Foundationalism
mcurrieMemes
merlinWhat Might Dennett Help Us Conclude about the Purpose of Story-Telling?
mfraderapaper 2
Rachel TownsendThought Capabilities of Homo Sapiens And Other Animal Species
Rica Dela CruzThe Evolution of Social Changes and Dynamics
rmehtaEvolving decisions
skhemkaWhat's Your Story?
SophiaolenderMathematically Perceptive
Student BloggerBallet as an Algorithmic Process
sustainablephilosopherOn the necessity of believing in the imaginary world: Praising Skyhooks contra Dennett
Tara RajuIt's a Sexual R(Evolution)
unidentifiedflyingobjectDennett vs Religion: An Analysis

 

The Story of Evolution: Web Papers 1

These are the first webpapers to emerge from The Story of Evolution and the Evolution of Stories, a course offered at Bryn Mawr College in Spring 2009. One month into the semester, students are thinking through some of the problems that have been raised in their minds by our discussion of biological evolution.

Take a look around, and feel warmly welcome to respond in the comment area available at the end of each paper. What strikes, intrigues, puzzles you...what, among your reactions, might be of interest or use to the writer, or others in the class, or others who--exploring the internet--might be in search of a thoughtful conversation about evolution and literature?

amirbeyNatural selection among humans.
amoskowiOf Something Done, I Know Not Where- reconciling evolution and intelligent design
aseidman"Darwin's Literary Voice"
aybala50Evolution Before Culture Took Over
ccricharThe Evolution of Species in Relation to Technology in the 21st Century
dshaninPerfection of the Fittest
eawhiteA Continuation of the Story of Evolution
eglaserDarwin as Prophet
enewbernEmpiricism: Was it Darwin's scientific methodology?
eoleckiSurprising Similarities
epeck01Mankind's Influence on Evolution
fquadriEvolution Can Be Skin Deep: Biological Evolution in Humans
Hilary McGowanSurvival of the Origins
ibarkasThe Evolution of Scientific Writing-Was Darwin a Poet?
Jackie MaranoOn the Origin of A Combination Legacy: Why Darwin is Forever
jaferrScience as Story: Letting Go of Unquestioning Belief
jrlewisBelief and Skepticism
kapelianEvolution & Stories #1
kbrandallThe Origin of One or Several Species
kcofrinshaDarwin and Slavery
kgouldDarwin, Menopause, and Humans
L.Kelly-BowditchThe Story of the MCAS and Standardized Learning
lewilliamsPoetry and Science: Fundamentally the Same
lewilliamsPoetry and Science: Fundamentally the Same
Lisa B.The Origin of Instinct: How Darwin solved the greatest conceptual challenge of evolutionary theory
lparrishAre Humans Hurting Their Chances of Evolving by Helping One Another?
LS2Darwin's Freakish Aversion to Abnormalities
MarinaThe Struggle For Existence: Essentialism or Existentialism
mcurrieWhat Support?
merlinIs Storytelling Adaptive?
mfraderaDarwin, the writer.
Rachel TownsendOn Homosexuality
Rica Dela CruzThe Continuing Evolution of Man
rmehtaDarwin in the classroom
seliasApplying Darwin Beyond the Physical
skhemkaEVOLUTION UNLEASHED
SophiaolenderHow We Made the World What We Wanted It to Be
Student BloggerThe Evolution of Natural Selection
sustainablephilosopherCool Narrative; Cruel Metaphor?
Tara RajuDarwin: The Philosopher?
unidentifiedflyingobjectA discussion of perfection in Origin of Species

 

atuttle's picture

Love as an Evolutionary Adaptation

By its very nature, love is an irrational and capricious emotion. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines love twelve different ways (thirteen if you count the tennis term), and there have been countless attempts made by poets, musicians, philosophers, and literary figures to distill and define the essence of this powerful emotion. At first thought, love appears to be too complex and ambiguous to define in a scientific manner. As Professor Le mentioned, social scientists do not attempt to operationalize complex emotions like love in their entirety. For example, by demonstrating love-directed behavior in one instance is a study able to be generalized to other

ekim's picture

Birth Order--Evolution at its Best?

Nearly 170 years ago, Darwin introduced the story of evolution. Darwinian evolution explains the small differences within the same type of individuals and how this variation creates competition for the best to survive and pass on the best genes (1). Now, 170 years later, Darwinian evolution still prevails, even in the household of every family.

It is no surprise to see siblings in argument, especially because of clashing personalities. But why is the fighting so common? Is it only due to differences in personalities? Or could this fight actually be Darwinian evolution in the works? Could this fight be a form of competition to seek superiority?

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