Because we cannot even begin to cover the full range of natural science disciplines in a single semester, and because "natural science" is not a monolithic enterprise, this section of BGS 391 will focus upon three related and important areas of contemporary natural science:  evolution, genetics, and ecology.

First, we'll talk about the scientific enterprise in a broad context--how science relates to (and grows out of) our larger society--as well as the fundamentals of scientific method.  Toward this end, we'll read an excerpt from a highly-influential American biologist, Edward O. Wilson; we'll also examine the excellent science news coverage in the New York Times, and develop critical reading strategies for the "Science Times" section of the paper.  These strategies will come in handy as you write a systematic critique of a science news article later in the semester.

The second part of the course is an exploration of evolutionary biology--specifically, the work of scientists Peter and Rosemary Grant, who study finch populations on the Galapagos Islands.  We'll read Jonathan Weiner's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Beak of the Finch, a compelling and highly readable account of the Grant's long-term research on the ecology and evolution of the same finches that fascinated Charles Darwin 150 years earlier.  Weiner explains how evolutionary theory serves as the foundation of modern biology, and discusses real-world examples of natural and sexual selection in contemporary species.  

The middle section of the course is devoted to a discussion of biologist Richard Lewontin's new book, The Triple Helix, a short but challenging critique of modern biological methods and a graceful explanation of the complex relations between genes, organisms, and the environment.  Lewontin's text upsets some commonly held assumptions about how genes work, and gets us to think carefully about how scientists devise experiments and interpret data. 

Finally, we'll shift our attention to ecology and the environment by looking at the relationship between pollution and cancer in America society, as discussed in Sandra Steingraber's beautifully-written Living Downstream.  In the process, we'll examine the close ties among politics, disease, industry, and science.   Steingraber's book builds upon the ecological perspective supplied by Weiner and suggests ways we need to improve our relationship with the natural world through better science, greater access to information, and a vigorous environmental ethic.