The University of Waterloo
Distinguished Speaker in Philosophy
2004

Dr. Steven Quartz
California Institute of Technology

‘Cultural Biology’

May 17-20

Lecture 1: "Developmental Evolutionary Psychology: Genes, Development, and the Evolution of the Human Mind"

Lecture 2: "Neural Constructivism: Building the Brain through Learning"

Lecture 3: "Building the Self: What Evolved, What Develops"

Lecture 4: "4. Navigating Social Worlds: Behavioral Game Theory meets Functional Brain Imaging"

All talks are at 3pm in HH 334. (here's a .pdf map)

Following Dr. Quartz’s lecture series will be a conference on the same topic.

‘Cultural Biology: Evolution, Development, and Mind’

May 21-22

Schedule

Friday

3:00 Quartz "Developmental Evolutionary Psychology: Toward a Cultural Biology"
4:30 Calvin "Sources of the Mind's Big Bang 50,000 years ago: Culture first, genes later?"
6:00   end, dinner

Saturday

9:00 Churchland "Cultural Learning, and the Institutional Regulation of Structural and Dynamical Learning within Individuals"
10:30 O'Neill "Small talk and stories: Children's developing models of the self and others"
12:00   Lunch
1:30 Montague "Neural Responses to Trust and Reciprocity"
3:00 Wainwright "Diet and the Developing Brain"
4:30 Donald "Coevolution of Brain and Culture"
6:00   end, dinner

All talks will be in Hagey Hall rm. 334. (here's a .pdf map)

Speakers

William Calvin, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington

Paul Churchland, Philosophy, UCSD

Merlin Donald, Psychology, Queens University

Read Montague, Neuroscience, Baylor Medical College

Daniela O'Neill, Psychology, Waterloo

Steve Quartz, Humanities, Caltech

Pat Wainwright, Health Studies, Waterloo

This workshop is the culmination of our Distinguished Speaker Series on Cultural Biology, a week of lectures by Steve Quartz on topics covered in his (and Terry Sejnowski’s) recent book ‘Liars, Lovers, and Heroes: What the New Brain Science Reveals About How We Become Who We Are.’

As the variety of backgrounds of the speakers indicates, cultural biology spans philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, in an attempt to examine the biological roots of culture. Cultural biologists integrate current results from a wide variety of sciences to answer questions about, for example, altruism, courage, lying, decision making, and preferred social structures.

The workshop itself is open and registration is free. We would appreciate advance notice of attendance, though, along with an indication of intent to join in the banquet (not free) on Saturday evening. Please contact Chris Eliasmith.

The workshop’s budget has been generously provided by the Minas Fund.

For information about travel and parking, see the University of Waterloo website:  http://www.uwaterloo.ca

 

Department of Philosophy
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
(519) 888-4567 x2449
Fax: (519) 746-3097
ddietric@uwaterloo.ca