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Sociobiology: Another Biological Determinism Author(S): Sociobiology Study Group of Science for the People Source: Bioscience, Vol Dialogue. The Critique: Sociobiology: Another Biological Determinism Author(s): Sociobiology Study Group of Science for the People Source: BioScience, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Mar., 1976), pp. 182+184-186 Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1297246 . Accessed: 07/08/2014 05:58 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Oxford University Press and American Institute of Biological Sciences are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to BioScience. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.103.149.52 on Thu, 7 Aug 2014 05:58:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Dialogue Sociobiology Another Biological Determinism Sociobiology Study Group of Science for the People Biological determinism represents the territory, individualism, and the appear- examples are Herbert Spencer's argu- claim that the present states of human ance of a status and wealth hierarchy. ment in Social Statics (1851) that pov- societies are the specific result of bio- The earlier forms of determinism in erty and starvation were natural agents logical forces and the biological the current wave have now been pretty cleansing society of the unfit, and "nature" of the human species. Deter- well discredited. The claims that there is Konrad Lorenz's call in 1940 in minist theories all describe a particular a high heritability of IQ, which implies Germany for "the extermination of model of society which corresponds to both the unchangeability of IQ and a elements of the population loaded with the socioeconomic prejudices of the genetic difference between races or dregs," based upon his ethological writer. It is then asserted that this between social classes, have now been theories. pattern has arisen out of human biology thoroughly debunked. In order to make their case, deter- and that present human social arrange- The simplistic forms of the human minists construct a selective picture of ments are either unchangeable or if nature argument given by Lorenz, human history, ethnography, and social altered will demand continued con- Ardrey, Tiger and Fox, and others have relations. They misuse the basic con- scious social control because these no scientific credit and have been cepts and facts of genetics and evolu- changed conditions will be "unnatural." scorned as works of "advocacy" by E. tionary theory, asserting things to be Moreover, such determinism provides a O. Wilson, whose own book, Socio- true that are totally unknown, ignoring direct justification for the status quo as biology: The New Synthesis, is the whole aspects of the evolutionary pro- "natural," although some determinists manifesto of a new, more complex, cess, asserting that conclusions follow dissociate themselves from some of the version of biological determinism, no from premises when they do not. consequences of their arguments. The less a work of "advocacy" than its Finally, they invent ad hoc hypotheses issue, however, is not the motivation of rejected predecessors. This book, whose to take care of the contradictions and individual creators of determinist theo- first chapter is on "The Morality of the carry on a form of "scientific rea- ries, but the way these theories operate Gene," is intended to establish sociol- soning" that is untestable and leads to as powerful forms of legitimation of ogy as a branch of evolutionary biology, unfalsifiable hypotheses. What follows is past and present social institutions such encompassing all human societies, past a general examination of these ele- as aggression, competition, domination and present. Wilson believes that "soci- ments in sociobiological theory, espe- of women by men, defense of national ology and the other social sciences, as cially as elaborated in E. O. Wilson's well as the humanities, are the last Sociobiology. branches of biology waiting to be At the time of composition of this articlethe Sociobiology Study Group of Science for the included in the Modern Synthesis" (p. 4). A VERSIONOF HUMANNATURE People consisted of L. Allen, B. Beckwith, J. This is no mere academic exercise. Beckwith, S. Chorover,D. Culver,N. Daniels, For the sociobiologist the first task is M. E. R. For more than a century the idea that E. Dorfman, Duncan, Engelman, a model of human nature Fitten, K. Fuda, S. Gould, C. Gross, R. human social behavior is determined by to delineate Hubbard,J. Hunt, H. Inouye, M. Kotelchuck, evolutionary imperatives operating on that is to be explained. Among Wilson's B. A. R. Levins,R. Lange, Leeds, Lewontin, inherited dispositions has been seized universal aspects of human nature are: E. Loechler, B. Ludwig, C. Madansky, L. * Miller, R. Morales,S. Motheral,K. Muzal,N. upon and widely entertained not so territoriality and tribalism (pp. Ostrom, R. Pyeritz, A. Reingold, M. Rosen- much for its alleged correspondence 564-565); thal, M. Mersky, M. Wilson,and H. Schreier. with as for its more obvious Inquiries should be addressed to SftP, 16 reality Union Square,Somerville, MA 02143. political value. Among the better known Continued on p. 184 182 BioScienceVol. 26 No. 3 This content downloaded from 128.103.149.52 on Thu, 7 Aug 2014 05:58:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Critique Realizing that history and ethno- other animals. Obviously sociobiologists graphy do not support the universality would prefer to claim Continued from p. 182 evolutionary of their description of human nature, homology, rather than simple analogy, claim that * indoctrinability-"Human beings are sociobiologists the exceptions as the basis for the similarity in behavior are aberrations" or absurdly easy to indoctrinate-they seek "temporary devia- between humans and other animals; tions. it" (p. 562); Thus, although genocidal warfare then they would have a prima facie case is "it is to * spite and family chauvinism-"True (assertedly) universal, be for genetic determination. In some sec- that some isolated spite is commonplace in human soci- expected cultures tions of Sociobiology, Wilson attempts will the for eties, undoubtedly because human escape process generations to do this by listing "universal" features at a in effect beings are keenly aware of their own time, reverting temporarily of behavior in higher primates including to what as blood lines and have the intelligence to ethnographers classify a humans. But claimed external similarity pacific state" plot intrigue" (p. 119); (p. 574). between humans and our closest rela- Another related is the claim * reciprocal altruism (as opposed to ploy tives (which are by no means very close that and historians true unselfishness)- "Human behavior ethnographers have to us) does not imply genetic con- been too narrow in their definitions and abounds with reciprocal altruism," as tinuity. A behavior that may be have not realized that con- for example, "aggressively moralistic apparently genetically coded in a higher primate tradictory evidence is really confirma- behavior", "self-righteousness, gratitude may be purely learned and widely tory. and sympathy" (p. 120); spread among human cultures as a con- * blind faith-"Men would rather sequence of the enormous flexibility of "Anthropologists often discount believe than know" 561 our brain. (p. ); territorialbehavior as a generalhuman * More often Wilson argues from evolu- warfare (p. 572) and genocide (p. attribute. This happens when the nar- tionary 573)-"the most distinctive human rowest concept of the phenomenonis analogy. Such arguments oper- qualities" emerged during the "auto- borrowed from zoology...it is neces- ate on shaky grounds. They can never catalytic phase of social evolution" sary to define territory more broadly be used to assert genetic similarity, but which occurred through intertribal .... animalsrespond to their neighbors they can serve as a plausibility argument warfare, "genocide" and "genosorp- in a highly variable manner.... the for natural selection of human behavior tion." scale may run from open hostility...to by assuming that natural selection has forms of advertisement The list is not exhaustive and is oblique or no operated on different genes in the two territorial behavior at all" meant to show how the outlines of (our species but has produced convergent only emphasis). human nature are viewed myopically, responses as independent adaptations to "If these are through the lens of modern Euro-Ameri- qualifications accepted similar environments. The argument is it is reasonable to conclude that can culture. ter- not even worth considering unless the ritoriality is a general trait of hunter- To construct such a view of human similarity is so precise that identical gatherersocieties." (pp. 564-565) nature, Wilson must abstract himself function cannot be reasonably denied, totally from any historical or ethno- as in the classic case of evolutionary graphic perspective. His discussion of Wilson's view of aggression and war- convergence-the eyes of vertebrates the economy of scarcity is an excellent fare are subject to this ploy of all-em- and octopuses. Here Wilson fails badly, example. An economy of relative bracing definition on the one hand and for his favorite analogies arise by a scarcity and unequal distribution of erroneous historical-ethnographic data twisted process of imposing human rewards is stated to be an aspect of on the other. "Primitive" warfare is institutions on animals by metaphor, human nature: rarely lethal to more than one or at and then rederiving the human institu- most a few individuals in an episode of tions as special cases of the more general "The members of human society warfare, virtually without significance phenomenon "discovered" in nature.
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