About this course: Throughout history, the vast majority of people around the globe have believed they have, however defined, a “soul.” While the question of whether the soul exists cannot be answered by science, what we can study are the causes and consequences of various beliefs about the soul and its prospects of surviving the death of the body. Why are soul and afterlife beliefs so common in human history? Are there adaptive advantages to assuming souls exist? Are there brain structures that have been shaped by environmental pressures that provide the foundation of body/mind dualism that is such a prominent feature of many religions? How do these beliefs shape the worldviews of different cultures and our collective lives? What is the role of competing afterlife beliefs in religion, science, politics, and war? This course explores several facets of this relatively unexplored but profoundly important aspect of human thought and behavior. The course consists mainly of 70 to 80 minute lectures, typically broken up into 3 segments, recorded from a course offered by Rutgers University School of Arts and Sciences. These videos include slides and some embedded video clips. Most lectures are accompanied by slides used during the lecture, also including recommended reading assignment which may provide additional opportunities to reflect on your studies. Due to the lengthiness of this class and natural progression, the online course has been separated into 3 units, this is Unit 3.
Taught by: Prof. Daniel M. Ogilvie, Professor of Psychology
Psychology
Taught by: Prof. Leonard W. Hamilton, Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology
| Commitment | 3-5 hours/week |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Romanian |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
- Reading: Welcome to the Course
- Video: Introduction
- Reading: Learner Support
- Video: Evolutionary Psychology Part A
- Video: Evolutionary Psychology Part B
- Video: Evolutionary Psychology Part C
- Reading: Evolutionary Psychology: A Primer
- Video: The Evolution of the Human Brain Part A
- Video: The Evolution of the Human Brain Part B
- Video: The Evolution of the Human Brain Part C
- Video: The Human Spark Part A
- Video: The Human Spark Part B
- Video: The Human Spark Part C
- Video: NPR audio interview - Richard Leakey Reflects On Human Past And Future
- Video: The Scopes Trial Part A
- Video: The Scopes Trial Part B
- Video: The Scopes Trial Part C
- Reading: State vs John Scopes ("The Monkey Trial")
- Video: Judgment Day Intelligent Design On Trial
- Reading: Kitzmiller vs Dover Area School District: Teaching Intelligent Design in Public Schools
- Reading: Defeating Creationism in the Courtroom, But Not in the Classroom
- Video: Where Do We Go From Here Part A
- Video: Where Do We Go From Here Part B
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: Grading and Logistics
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Culminates a 3 mooc series. They get increasingly abstract as they go on. This had some good info on science vs. religion.
I enjoyed the course. Loved Unit 1 the best!
These professors took a brave approach to discussing topics that are avoided in the classroom but merit discussion. It was a well balanced course that doesn't shove you into a particular corner but instead offers multiple viewpoints and questions for you to consider about your own personal beliefs.
Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online.
great course with lots of info to think about