Courses Archive

Ethics After Darwin

by Roger Abrantes

Course Description

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with what is right or wrong, good or bad, from a moral perspective. This course is a comprehensive introduction to ethics, focusing on our prevalent moral ideas, pre and post-Darwin. In his ‘The Origin Of Species By Means Of Natural Selection’ (1859), Charles Darwin proposed a theory of evolution that has had a tremendous impact on all science fields. It also forced us to rethink our moral principles if we’re supposed to be consistent. Instead of giving my students a list of moral rules, I chose to take them throughout a journey of investigation of the ideas that lead to our pre-Darwin morality and, then, to construct an ethical system compatible with modern science post-Darwin. The principle of equality and moral individualism is a consequence of Darwinism.

Edward O. Wilson’s wrote: “Scientists and humanists should consider together the possibility that the time has come for ethics to be removed temporarily from the hands of the philosophers and biologicized” (Wilson, 1975: 27).

Being a philosopher and an evolutionary biologist, I fully understand Wilson’s suggestion and so I welcome you to this introduction to ethics after Darwin where I will present to you the facts of biology, the perspectives of evolutionary biology, and the rigor of philosophical reasoning.

Course Level

Beginner to Intermediate. This course is an introduction to ethics focussing on our view of non-human animals. It contains essential reflections for anyone keeping or working with animals.

Course Textbook

There is no mandatory textbook for this course as all reading material is included in this online course.

Contents of the course by lesson

1. 1. 1. Ethics, Morality, Law
      - Definition
      - Ethics and Law
      - Ethics and Religion
    2. Ethics and Science
      - Hume: the Is-Ought problem
      - The Naturalistic Fallacy
    3. Ethics after Darwin
      - Before and after Darwin
      - Darwin on ethics
      - Eastern and Western Morality
    4. Evolutionary Biology and Ethics
      - Lorenz, Ardrey, Morris
      - Wilson: Sociobiology
      - Dawkins: the Selfish Gene and the Meme
    5. The Western Tradition
      - Human Dignity
      - The First Cause and the Big Bang
      - The Algorithm of Evolution: Evidence
    6. Doubting Theism
      - How different are we?
      - The Rational Animal: Rationality, Language, Intelligence
      - A Difference in Degree
    7. The Moral Animal
      - Anthropomorphism and Anthropodimorphism
      - Altruistic Behavior
    8. What Morality Can We Adopt?
      - The Principle of Equality
      - Speciesism
      - Humans: Special Moral Category?
    9. Ethics After Darwin
      - Moral Individualism
      - Ethical Consequences of Darwinism
      - A Word-view Crack Down

Supplementary Literature

Although not mandatory, we recommend that you supplement your readings with:

Darwin, C. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. 1st ed.
Darwin, C. 1872. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. London: John Murray. 1st ed.
Rachels, J. 1990. Created from Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism. Oxford University Press.
Ruse, M, 1995. Evolutionary Naturalism. Routledge. ISBN-10: 0415089972

Online Studying and Tutoring

Watch the movie(s) and read the book(s). Join the course forum where you can read our tutors’ answers to questions previously posed by your colleagues. If you have a new question, do not hesitate in posting it.

The course forum is solely for academic questions. For administrative matters or difficulties accessing the functionality of the site, please submit a ticket.

Once you’re ready for it, take the quizzes. You may take a quiz as many times as you like. We recommend you re-take quizzes once a year as a self-imposed quality control.

Ecology

by Roger Abrantes

Course Description

Ecology is a branch of biology studying the interactions among organisms and their environment. In this course, we’ll review: ecosystems hierarchy, biodiversity, habitat, biotope, the environment, niche, niche construction, biome, biosphere, population ecology, migration, food webs, trophic levels, keystone species, and the fauna and flora of Singapore.

Lesson 1: Introduction, history, sub-disciplines.
Lesson 2: Ecosystems hierarchy, biodiversity, habitat, biotope.
Lesson 3: Energy Budgets: the environment, radiation, heat, temperature, light, photosynthesis, aquatic ecosystems, gravity, pressure, wind, soils.
Lesson 4: Niche, niche construction, biome, biosphere, population ecology, migration.
Lesson 5: Food webs, trophic levels, keystone species.
Lesson 6: The ecology of Singapore, the impacts of dogs on the environment.

Course Level

Beginner/Medium. This course is an introduction to ecology and essential to the understanding of ecosystems and their development.

Course Textbook

There is no mandatory textbook for this course as all material in included in this online course. However, we recommend Odum, E. P.; Barrett, G. W. 2005. Fundamentals of Ecology. Brooks Cole, as primary literature.

Book contents

Preface. Eugene P. Odum and Gary W. Barrett.
1. The Scope of Ecology.
2. The Ecosystem.
3. Energy in Ecological Systems.
4. Biogeochemical Cycles.
5. Limiting and Regulatory Factors.
6. Population Ecology.
7. Community Ecology.
8. Ecosystem Development.
9. Landscape Ecology.
10. Regional Ecology: Major Ecosystem Types and Biomes.
11. Global Ecology.
12. Statistical Thinking for Students of Ecology.
Glossary. References. Index.

Supplementary Literature

Although not mandatory, we recommend that you supplement your readings with:

Darwin, C. 1859. On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. London: John Murray. 1st ed.
McFarland, D. 1982 The Oxford Companion to Animal Behaviour. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Wilson, E. O. 1992. The Diversity of Life. Harvard University Press.

Online Studying and Tutoring

The course forum is solely for academic questions. For administrative matters or difficulties accessing the functionality of the site, please submit a ticket.

Once you’re ready for it, take the quizzes. You may take a quiz as many times as you like. We recommend you re-take quizzes once a year as a self-imposed quality control.

Mi Método de Entrenamiento

by Roger Abrantes

Descripción del curso

“Mi método de entrenamiento de animales: la fusión entre etología y conductismo” explica y enseña cómo crear una relación confiable con cualquier animal. Este curso analiza la forma en que interactuamos con nuestros animales, combina lo mejor de la etología y el conductismo, y presenta un enfoque innovador, pero simple y eficiente para comunicarse con un animal. Es una guía para crear relaciones armoniosas, estables y equilibradas.

Nivel de curso

Principiante a avanzado. Este curso es para todos, independientemente del conocimiento o experiencia previamente adquiridos.

Libro del curso

“Animal Training My Way—The Merging of Ethology and Behaviorism”

por Roger Abrantes, Ph.D. en Biología Evolutiva y Etología.

Contenido del libro

Capítulo 1 Un enfoque pragmático para el entrenamiento de animales.
Capítulo 2 Creando una relación.
Capítulo 3 Las herramientas de entrenamiento.
Capítulo 4 Entrenando habilidades aplicando la etología y el conductismo.
Capítulo 5 Mantenimiento y fiabilidad del comportamiento.
Capítulo 6 Consideraciones prácticas.
Capítulo 7 Elementos de Etología.
Capítulo 8 Una cuestión de actitud.
Capítulo 9 Mente y corazón.

Este libro está disponible por separado en inglés. Sin embargo, los estudiantes no necesitan adquirirlo ya que el texto completo se presenta aquí a lo largo de las diversas lecciones.

Estudios en línea y tutoría

Mira la(s) película(s) y lea los textos en las diferentes lecciones. Sigue el foro del curso donde puedes leer las respuestas de nuestros tutores (en inglés) a las preguntas planteadas previamente por tus colegas. Si tienes una nueva pregunta, no dudes en publicarla.

El foro del curso es únicamente para preguntas académicas. Para asuntos administrativos o dificultades para acceder a la funcionalidad del sitio, envía un ticket.

Una vez que estés listo para ello, responde los cuestionarios. Puedes completar un cuestionario tantas veces como desees. Te recomendamos que vuelvas a completar los cuestionarios una vez al año como control de calidad auto-impuesto.

CAAE

by Admin Team

The following are all the courses you have to take to earn your Certificate in Advanced Applied Ethology (CAAE) diploma. To read more about the single courses, click this link.

Buying the bundled courses saves you EUR 457. Upon completing all courses, you will have earned 457 redeeming points plus 60 points we give you as a graduation present (equalling EUR 517) that you can claim (or gift a friend). That means that you start earning money as soon as you graduate.

You can also buy the CAAE in installments saving EUR 184. You’ll get two courses right away and then one each month for 24 months.

List of courses in the CAAE program

All in CPDT plus all in CACE and

Equine Behavior
One lesson: The behavior of the horse, its social behavior, senses, how it apprehends the world, and its ability to solve problems.
Main textbook: “The Nature of Horses” by Stephen Budiansky

Feline Behavior
Three lessons: the behavior of cats as well as the most common causes of problem behavior and how to solve them.
Main textbook: “Feline Behavior and Misbehavior” by R. Abrantes

Zoology
Two lessons: an introduction to Zoology, how to distinguish and classify animals, particularly mammals.
Main textbook: “Intro to Zoology” by A. Pinto-Poulton

Evolution and Ethology
Two lessons: this is a comprehensive and advanced course in evolution and ethology (graduate level).
Main textbook: “Animal Behaviour” by David McFarland

Learning and Behavior
Three lessons: a most comprehensive course reviewing the various forms animals learn and acquire new behavior (graduate level).
Main textbook: “Learning and Behavior” by Paul Chance

Critical Reasoning
Six lessons: logic and critical reasoning, how to evaluate statements and how to build sound arguments (graduate level).
Main textbook: “Think Out of the Box” by R. Abrantes

Equine Proficiency Verification
Practical work with horses supervised by a tutor

X-Practice Proficiency Verification
Practical work with a third species of your choice, other than dog and horse.

CACE

by Admin Team

The following are all the courses you have to take to earn your Certificate in Applied Canine Ethology (CACE) diploma. To read more about the single courses, click this link.

Buying the bundled courses saves you EUR 277. Upon completing all courses, you will have earned 277 redeeming points (equalling EUR 277) that you can use to continue your education or to gift a friend.

You can also buy the CACE in installments saving EUR 148. You’ll get two courses right away and then one each month for 18 months.

List of courses in the CACE program

All courses from CPDT and

Ethology
Four lessons: Ethology—history and principles, genetics and behavior, evolutionary strategies, sexual behavior, instinct and learning, communication, social behavior, agonistic behavior, animal economics and intelligence, evolutionary perspectives.
Main textbook: “Ethology” by R. Abrantes

Animal Learning
Three lessons: Classical and operant conditioning. Learning. Signals. Discrimination, generalization, and stimulus control. Increasing and decreasing behavior. Reinforcement schedules. Advanced operant procedures. Plan of action.
Main textbook: “Animal Learning” by R. Abrantes

Applied Animal Learning
Three lessons: The Morphology and Syntax of SMAF. Examples of POA. Quick Guide to designing a POA in SMAF.
Main textbook: “SMAF” by R. Abrantes

Agonistic Behavior
Five lessons: Fearful, aggressive, dominant, and submissive behavior. Pacifying behavior.
Main textbook: “Agonistic Behavior” by R. Abrantes

Measuring Behavior
Four lessons: How to measure behavior, Methods of sampling animal behavior. Using Ethograms. Chi-squared.
Main textbook: “Measuring Behavior” by R. Abrantes

Canine Scent Detection
Three lessons: From the acquisition of indication behavior (alert) and acquisition of target scent to the final blind test.
Main textbook: “Canine Scent Detection—The Practical Manual” by R. Abrantes
Theory and Proficiency Verification

CPDT

by Admin Team

The following are all the courses you have to take to earn your Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) diploma. To read more about the single courses, click this link.

Buying the bundled courses saves you EUR 158. Upon completing all courses, you will have earned 158 redeeming points (equalling EUR 158) that you can use to continue your education or to gift a friend.

You can also buy the CPDT in installments saving EUR 58. You’ll get two courses right away and then one each month for 12 months.

List of courses in the CPDT program

Evolution
Four lessons: variation, natural selection, evolution.
Main Textbook: “Evolution” by R. Abrantes

Ethology and Behaviorism
Four lessons: merging ethology and behaviorism, creating relationships, making training simple and efficient.
Main Textbook: “Animal Training My Way” by R. Abrantes

The 20 Principles All Animal Trainers Must Know
Four lessons: The 20 Principles All Animal Trainers Must Know plus 16 principles for the advanced trainer, planning a training session.
Main Textbook: “The 20 Principles All Animal Trainers Must Know” by R. Abrantes

Animal Welfare
Two lessons: The Five Freedoms and the Three R’s, welfare science, ethics, and law.
Main Textbook: “Animal Welfare” by A. Pinto-Poulton

EFR for Animals
Four lessons: Emergency first response for animals focusing on dogs, horses, and cats.
Main Textbook: “EFR for Animals” by M. J. Cunha

Anatomy and Physiology
Two lessons: the body plan and physical functions of anatomy and physiology.
Main Textbook: “Anatomy and Physiology” by A. Bourquin

Canine Behavior
Three lessons: the behavior of the domestic dogs and their wild relatives; dog language A-Z.
Main Textbook: “Dog Language” by R. Abrantes

All About Puppies
Five lessons: imprinting, socialization, the puppy’s arrival at the new home, stimulation, training.
Main Textbook: “All About Puppies” by R. Abrantes

Dogs and Children
Two lessons: how to create a good relationship between child and dog and how to prevent problems.
Main Textbook: “Dogs and Children” by R. Abrantes

Dogs Home Alone
Two lessons: A practical case and the CHAP prevention and cure program.
Main Textbook: “Dogs Home Alone” by R. Abrantes

Canine Problem Behavior
Three lessons: 10 facts about dogs—myth or truth? and 10 strange dog behaviors explained—debugging popular credence. Files from the EI Canine problem behavior cases.
Main Textbook: “Canine Problem Behavior” by R. Abrantes

Pedagogy
Four lessons: Motivation, active learning, teaching adults, creating better classes.
Main Textbook: “Pedagogy” by various authors

Canine Proficiency Verification
Practical work with dogs supervised by a tutor.

X Proficiency Verification

by Tutor Team

Course Information

A Proficiency Verification is a session where you demonstrate that you have the necessary practical proficiency in handling an animal. In the X Proficiency Verification, you work with an animal from a species other than dog or horse.

Theory and Practice Hand in Hand

You need theoretical knowledge and practical experience to be a good animal trainer. Once you have read and understood the theory, you begin training your animal. Ideally, you should start all training first after having taken the first three courses, “Evolution,” “Ethology and Behaviorism” and “The 20 Principles All Animal Trainers Must know.” For this PV, you may need more courses depending on the species you choose. If you are an experienced trainer, you will probably take this proficiency verification without problems. It’s not a difficult proficiency verification per se, but note that we require simplicity, precision, and kindness. To combine all three—we know from experience—is what our students find the most challenging.

Science and Ethics

We base our approach to animal training on science applied with thoughtfulness. We require precision for it leads to the best results in the long term. Kindness and leniency (or sloppiness) are different matters. We promote and encourage the former, from ethical and scientific points of view, but not the latter. There are many ways to train any particular skill. You choose the one that best suits you and the animal you train, keeping in mind that whichever method you select, it must conform to sound science and deep respect for all living organisms.

Proficiency Verification Preparatory Course (PVPC)

If you are a beginner, you should maybe attend a PVPC, which we regularly organize in various locations. Watch the Forums page’s sidebar. If you follow a PVPC, your instructor can conduct and approve your proficiency verification, and we will add it to your curriculum.

Video proficiency verification (VPF)

If you have no opportunity to attend a PVPC, you may submit a VPF. Read the instructions to send your VPF in the guidelines for this course and lesson (see assessment).

The PV is a full one-on-one tutored course. You and your tutor keep in touch via our messaging system and Skype if necessary. You upload your video clips to our cloud for your tutor’s review and comment. Once your tutor is satisfied with your work, you will receive your approved check mark.

The X Proficiency Verification is individualized depending on the species you choose to train. Most students choose cats or Guinea Pigs. If you choose Guinea Pigs, you may be able to attend and complete your PV at one of our Guinea Pig Camps. Contact your tutor to decide on species and the set of skills you and your animal will have to demonstrate.

To Ponder

Kindness and leniency (or sloppiness) are different matters. We promote and encourage the former, from ethical and scientific points of view, but not the latter.
Our Proficiency Verifications require simplicity, precision, and kindness. To combine all three—we know from experience—is what our students find the most challenging.

Online Studying and Tutoring

Join the course forum where you can read our tutors’ answers to questions previously posed by your colleagues. If you have a new question, do not hesitate in posting it.

The course forum is solely for academic questions. For administrative matters or difficulties accessing the functionality of the site, please submit a ticket.

Keep in touch with your tutor via our messaging system (in Forums).

Equine Proficiency Verification

by Tutor Team

Course Information

A Proficiency Verification is a session where you demonstrate that you have the necessary practical proficiency in handling an animal.

Theory and Practice Hand in Hand

You need theoretical knowledge and practical experience to be a good horse trainer. Once you have read and understood the theory, you begin training your horse. Ideally, you should start the training after having taken the first three courses, “Evolution,” “Ethology and Behaviorism” and “The 20 Principles All Animal Trainers Must know.” These books do not target horse training specifically, but the fundamental principles are the same for all species. If you are an experienced trainer, you will probably take this proficiency verification without problems and without too much preparation time. It’s not a difficult proficiency verification per se, but note that we require simplicity, precision, and kindness. To combine all three—we know from experience—is what our students find the most challenging.

Science and Ethics

Proficiency Verification Preparatory Course (PVPC)

Video proficiency verification (VPF)

If you have no opportunity to attend a PVPC, you may submit a VPF. Read the instructions to send your VPF in the guidelines for this course and lesson.

Equine Proficiency Verification Part One deals with the skills you and your horse must master on the ground; Part Two deals with riding where you demonstrate that you can professionally and comfortably handle the essential horse riding.

To Ponder

Kindness and leniency (or sloppiness) are different matters. We promote and encourage the former, from ethical and scientific points of view, but not the latter.
Our Proficiency Verifications require simplicity, precision, and kindness. To combine all three—we know from experience—is what our students find the most challenging.

Online Studying and Tutoring

Join the course forum where you can read our tutors’ answers to questions previously posed by your colleagues. If you have a new question, do not hesitate in posting it.

The course forum is solely for academic questions. For administrative matters or difficulties accessing the functionality of the site, please submit a ticket.

Keep in touch with your tutor via our messaging system (in Forums).

Critical Reasoning

by Roger Abrantes

Learning and Behavior

by Tutor Team

Course Description

Learning and Behavior is a most comprehensive course at graduate level reviewing the various forms animals learn and acquire new behavior. It is an essential course to understand behavior modification.

In lesson one, you’ll read Paul Chance’s “Learning and Behavior” that you’ll have to acquire separately. If you arrived at this course via our program path, you have completed CPDT and CACE. You are, now, an advanced student of behavioral sciences. Therefore, we leave it more up to you to plan how best to take this course. We recommend you read the textbook and takes notes. You will need your notes to complete the lesson quiz and to write your course assignment. Sort out the most fundamental from the least. It’s a big book. Enjoy your reading. Your knowledge will increase with each page you read.

In lesson two, you will also practice and demonstrate your behavior modification skills with Sniffy, the virtual rat. Using a CD-ROM and lab manual, you will get a hands-on experience in setting up and conducting experiments that prove the phenomena of classical and operant conditioning using Sniffy the digital rat.

If you have a question that you’d like answered, or you find a topic especially challenging, feel free to ask in the course forum. This is true for all students and most of all for the student who arrives at this course without having previously taken any of our courses. In the course forum, our tutors will guide you and will answer your questions. We want you to feel confident that you know your stuff once you have earned your certificate. In distance education, lacking the personal contact of traditional classes, it is essential for student and tutors to keep in touch using all the means they have at their disposal. Our course forums are by far the best option.

PS—If you arrive at this course without having taken any previous courses, we strongly recommend you take The 20 Principles All Animal Trainers Must Know and Animal Learning and then come back. These two courses are at the undergraduate level and easier than the current Learning and Behavior, which is at the graduate level.

Course Level

Advanced. This is a course at the graduate level.

Course Textbook

“Learning and Behavior”

by Paul Chance, Ph.D.

Book contents

Introduction Learning to Change

The Study of Learning and Behavior

Pavlovian Conditioning

Pavlovian Applications

Operant Learning Reinforcement

Reinforcement Beyond Habit

Schedules of Reinforcement

Operant Learning Punishment

Operant Applications

Observational Learning

Generalization Discrimination and Stimulus Control

Forgetting

The Limits of Learning

Chance, P. (2013). Learning and Behavior. Cengage Learning; 7 edition.

Supplementary Literature

Although not mandatory, we recommend that you supplement your readings with:

Alloway, T., Wilson, G., & Graham, J. (2011). Sniffy the Virtual Rat Pro, Version 3.0 (with CD-ROM). Cengage Learning; 3 edition.
Catania, C. (1997). Learning. Prentice Hall; 4 edition.
Darwin, C. (1859) On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. London: John Murray. 1st ed.
McFarland, D. (1982) The Oxford Companion to Animal Behaviour. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Online Studying and Tutoring

The course forum is solely for academic questions. For administrative matters or difficulties accessing the functionality of the site, please submit a ticket.

Once you’re ready for it, take the quizzes. You may take a quiz as many times as you like. We recommend you re-take quizzes once a year as a self-imposed quality control.