Why Biology Matters: Basic Concepts (FutureLearn)

To be able to interpret complex biological concepts - genetic determinism, cloning, genetic engineering, the fight against ageing, eugenics, artificial selection or intelligence inheritance - we need knowledge that we may not have.

That’s where this online course can help. It provides a basic introduction to the biology behind these ideas, - using lessons and interviews with experts - so that you can understand the implications of them for the fields of the social sciences and humanities.

What topics will you cover?

- Life, the basics

- DNA information for life

- Genome in action

- How evolution works

- Humans in nature

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Apply scientific knowledge to the human being

- Explain the implications of the fact that we are a biological species

- Critically evaluate information that reaches us through the media

- Develop a scientifically based criterion of aspects with a biological basis, avoiding misleading, unfounded opinions