This study took place during a First Year Seminar course where 20 incoming college freshmen studied the central topic of the nature of science within the context of biological evolution. The instructor researched students' understandings in the nature of science as they progressed through the course by examining a variety of qualitative and…

Derived changes in genes associated with primary microcephaly (MCPH) have been suggested to be "currently sweeping to fixation" i.e., increasing in frequency in most populations, with the likely outcome that the derived allele will completely displace the ancestral allele over time. Possible causes for this sweep include effects on human reasoning…

Evolutionary and biological approaches tend to suggest that social dominance is predominately an aspect of male social organization. Furthermore, when females behave non-normatively, they are less positively evaluated than males engaging in the same behavior. Alternate, less familiar models of females and dominance/aggression underlie the present…

The domain-independent and domain-dependent approach to the evolution of cognition have been taken by separate groups of researchers who have focused exclusively on either the formal properties or the distinct cognitive demands of tasks. We express the view that synthesizing the two approaches could lead to a more complete understanding, and…

A comprehensive evolutionary framework for understanding the maintenance of heritable behavioral variation in humans is yet to be developed. Some evolutionary psychologists have argued that heritable variation will not be found in important, fitness-relevant characteristics because of the winnowing effect of natural selection. This article…

Comments on the article by J. S. Hyde (see record EJ733581), which reviewed the results of 46 meta-analyses of studies investigating gender differences and produced results that supported the gender similarities hypothesis that men and women are similar along most psychological traits. The current authors agree with the gender similarities…

Argues that ontogenetic and phylogenetic theories are related and that such a coupling can be established only in reference to a metatheory. The metatheory is construed in terms of a combination of logical coherence and requirements necessary for generalization as well as comprehensive, philosophical representations of living beings (e.g.,…

The reemergence of fundamentalism has provoked some surprise and concern. Fundamentalism is seen by some as a curiosity from a bygone era and by others as a threat to freedom. For educational philosophers, however, fundamentalism provides an opportunity for a fresh critique of education and the schools. (CB)

Maintains that unless judicial guidance is clear about the application of the First Amendment regarding the origin of life, religious freedoms and the vitality of public education may be jeopardized. (JOW)

A look at man's evolution and how his environment evolved along with him. (NQ)

Analysis of the writings of anti-evolutionists contemporary with Darwin reveals that there were many objections that had to be overcome and that the Darwinian revolution" does not conform to the simple model of a scientific revolution as outlined by T. S. Kuhn. (AL)

A cross-generational procedure was used to examine E. R. Service's redistribution theory of social evolution. (Author/SS)

Outlines the four paths to the evolution and maintenance of cooperative behavior and provides two stories highlighting each path. Discusses reciprocity, byproduct mutualism, kin-selected cooperation, and group-selected cooperation. Presents some thoughts on where the study of animal cooperation might head in the future. Contains 67 references.…

Develops a theoretical frame linking the genesis of formal organizations to societal evolution. Analyzes peculiarities of medieval craft guilds and the developments that caused their decline and replacement by formal organizations. Medieval guilds were important predecessors of these formal organizations. Includes 101 references. (MLH)