lssyllabus (1)
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/3/2019 LSSyllabus (1)
1/3
Language and Species
TESC/E&W Studies/Winter 12
Syllabus
Instructor: Richard McKinnon, Ph.D.Email: [email protected]
Course Description: Humans often claim distinction as unique among the animals of the
world. This course examines this hypothesis from the perspective of communication. What
are the parameters that govern communication systems of all species? Why do bees dance,
frogs croak, and humans speak? What kinds of messages do members of various species
communicate to each other? Is human language qualitatively different from other forms of
animal communication? If so, how did it evolve to be so different and what does that mean
about humans as a species? We will employ the tools of linguistics, psychology, ethology and
anthropology to find answers to these questions.
Required Readings: Bickerton, Derek, 2009. Adams Tongue. Hill and Wang.
Extended Readings: http://moodle.evergreen.edu/
Course Objectives: By the end of the quarter, participants will:
be familiar with the evolutionary landscape around humans (wrt communication), and
how language distinguishes us,
develop a model for understanding brain development and mental architecture as the
set of adaptive solutions to problems presented by the environment, and be able to
describe the relationship between language and general cognition (smarts),
have a greater appreciation for the complexity of language, as well as for some other
specialized abilities of animals and humans.
be able to describe the specific evolutionary pressures that caused language to evolve.
Course Activities: Participants will produce response writings (not less than 750 words inlength) for each week. The response writing will address a specific issue raised in the readings
for that week, and may begin with a brief quote or summary of an argument from the text. A
forum will be available on the web where participants will post response writings each week.
Finally, participants will produce an end-of-quarter project in the form of a creation of (or
substantial contribution to) a Wikipedia entry concerning animal communication or the evolution
of language. This project will include readings beyond those provided in the course materials.
Participants may form groups to complete the Wikipedia project. Participants work will be
evaluated on the following components:
Contribution to class discussion of readings (Moodle and in-class).
Completion of response writings.
Independent research of journal articles and book chapters.
Completion of Wikipedia project.
Completion of a peer-reviewed self-assessment.
-
8/3/2019 LSSyllabus (1)
2/3
Course Schedule*All readings should be completed before class on the week they are assigned.*
Topic: Bickerton Readings:
Week 1: Introduction: What is language? --
Language instinct/organ/module/frames of mind
Video: Thinking Allowed: Steven Pinker orWith and Without Words (Human
Language Series)
Week 2: Pidgins and Protolanguages Chs. 1 & 2
Suppl. Readings: Slobin; Zuberbuehler; Deacon
Video: The Wild Child.
Week 3: The Holistic Hypothesis Ch. 3
Suppl. Readings: Pepperberg; de Waal; Falk
Video: Animal Minds or Koko
Week 4: The Social Hypothesis Ch. 4
Suppl. Readings: Dunbar; Gardner; Savage-Rumbaugh
Video:
Week 5: Niche Construction Chs. 5-6
Suppl. Readings: Pinker (all groups)
Video: The Blind Watchmaker
Week 6: The Recruitment Hypothesis Ch. 7-8
Suppl. Readings:
Video: The Life of the Honey Bee
Week 7: Spandrels & Exaptation Ch. 9
Suppl. Readings: HC&F; Gould; Pinker & Bloom
Video: The Minds Big Bang
Week 8: Concepts & Categories Ch. 10
Suppl. Readings:
Video:
Week 9: The Pace of Incrementalism Ch. 11
Suppl. Readings:
Video:
Week 10: The Structure of Language Ch. 12
-
8/3/2019 LSSyllabus (1)
3/3
Suppl. Readings: Everett
Video: Human Quest The Nature of Human Nature
*All readings should be read before class on the week they are assigned.*