Human Origins - Arizona State University

This course will guide you through an exploration of the scientific evidence for the evolution of humans and our fossil relatives and humankind’s place in the natural world. It includes an introduction to evolutionary theory, an overview of the hominin fossil record and what that record teaches us about our place in nature. Dr. Donald Johanson, a world-renowned paleoanthropologist who found the skeleton known as Lucy, will present an exciting in-depth exploration of paleoanthropological field research from his unique perspective. This course satisfies the Social-behavioral sciences (SB) general studies requirement at Arizona State University. This course may satisfy a general education requirement at other institutions; however, it is strongly encouraged that you consult with your institution of choice to determine how these credits will be applied to their degree requirements prior to transferring the credit.

What you'll learn

• Outline the nature of science and explain how scientific research is conducted
• Identify humans’ place in the natural world from taxonomic/phylogenetic perspectives
• Define the role of paleoanthropologists in human origins research
• Identify how paleoanthropologists use scientific method to formulate hypotheses and strategically conduct research
• Articulate differences between scientific evidence for human evolution and non-scientific, non-testable, explanations for human origins