The Evolution of an Ownership Society meets weekly. Read the assigned pages during the week before each session and submit your three answers the evening before we meet.
The Selfish Gene
Richard Dawkins
Chapters 1–3, plus a cell-biology primer on membranes, cell walls and nuclear pores. Supplements: Hamilton's 1964 kin-selection papers (for rb > c), Margulis (1967) on endosymbiosis, and the founding essay's opening section.
Read Aug 31 – Sep 7 · Questions due Sun, Sep 6, 2026
Second Treatise of Government
John Locke
Chapters 2–5 and 11
Read Sep 7 – Sep 14 · Questions due Sun, Sep 13, 2026
On the Origin of Species / Darwin's Blind Spot
Charles Darwin; Frank Ryan
Origin Ch. 3–4, plus Darwin's Blind Spot Ch. 1–4
Read Sep 14 – Sep 21 · Questions due Sun, Sep 20, 2026
Non-Cooperative Games and Equilibrium Points
John Nash
Nash's 1950–51 papers, plus a Prisoner's Dilemma primer
Read Sep 21 – Sep 28 · Questions due Sun, Sep 27, 2026
The Logic of Animal Conflict / SuperCooperators
John Maynard Smith & George Price; Martin Nowak
ESS primer plus SuperCooperators Ch. 1–2
Read Sep 28 – Oct 5 · Questions due Sun, Oct 4, 2026
SuperCooperators
Martin Nowak
Chapters 3–7
Read Oct 5 – Oct 12 · Questions due Sun, Oct 11, 2026
The Wealth of Nations (selections)
Adam Smith
Book I Ch. 1–2, 8; Book IV Ch. 2
Read Oct 12 – Oct 19 · Questions due Sun, Oct 18, 2026
Compounding readings and The Citizen's Share (intro)
Blasi, Freeman & Kruse
The Citizen's Share, Introduction and Ch. 1
Read Oct 19 – Oct 26 · Questions due Sun, Oct 25, 2026
The Citizen's Share
Blasi, Freeman & Kruse
Chapters 2–5
Read Oct 26 – Nov 2 · Questions due Sun, Nov 1, 2026
The Evolution of an Ownership Society
Walter Barry
The full essay, plus your own notes from Weeks I–IX
Read Nov 2 – Nov 9 · Questions due Sun, Nov 8, 2026