How do the mind, body, and spirit work together to create a whole person and a healthy self? Understanding their differences is important as well: when you think of the spirit, do you include the soul, and is the soul separate from the mind? In the mind, body, spirit theme, you will explore the role the aspects of self play individually and collectively in human growth throughout a lifetime:
- How does the mind work? How does one maintain a well-exercised mind?
- How does the body work?
- What is the spirit? Is it distinct from spirituality? How is it connected to other parts of life?
- What are the challenges to creating healthy communities? And how do these challenges affect other social outcomes?
- How does a person or a community foster harmony among the mind, body, and spirit?
HIGHLIGHTED COURSE
BIOL 20500 Biology of Aging (MIND, BODY, SPIRIT/NATURAL SCIENCES)
This course encompasses the study of theoretical and measured aspects of aging phenomenon as it influences human biology. Emotional and mental health are related to physical changes (both normal and dysfunctional) as people age, influencing both the self and interactions with others. Human understandings of aging processes (including contextual factors such as socio-economic status) and how those understandings shape interactions with others are important lenses for this course as students examine the mechanisms of the human aging process.
The topics covered in this course range from the subcellular to whole populations and will address the unfavorable progressive changes that occur in molecules, cells, systems and organisms with age. The course will also address the progressive dysfunctions that occur primarily in humans with advanced age.