Bones

[Radical Edward]

ramble? not at all, it's fascinating stuff

[Glider]

Yes it is, and the following surprises me...

Originally posted by Skye Obviously this has an appeal for studying human social systems. One of the main ant researchers over the past 50 years, Edward O. Wilson, introduced the concept sociobiology, applying evolutionary principles to social science, which died with Social Darwinism.

...or more specifically, the fact that it died as an idea surprises me.

 

Social psychology is not really my area, but I'm sure I read that there are certain principles (genetic and evolutionary) that can be applied to human social interaction. For example, the fact that we are more likley to evaluate more positively (and thus attribute more positive characteristics to) those who more closely resemble ourselves, compared to those who look very different to us. Along with evaluation, we are (apparently) more likely to lend assistance to, be more attracted to, and form relationships with, those who more closely resemble ourselves. As I say, I'm a bit hazy on the details, but I believe this has been attributed to a behavioural manifestation of the drive to promote our own (and more closely related) genes. As a psychological theory, there will abviously be room for debate, and there are probably theories in oposition. However, as a theory, it probably goes some way to explaining the underlying principles of in-group / out-group dynamics, and the bases of racism and other forms of bias.

[Skye]

If you believe in evolution it seems obvious that behaviour must have some evolutionary basis, since it must have evolved at some point.

 

Seemingly, social scientists were simply fed up by this time with Darwinism being used to explain behaviour, from what I've read. As an example from this site

"...the late D.G. MacRae, refers in Ideology And Society (1961) to the regrettable `tendency of social scientists to whore after theories drawn from natural science...'. The resulting `mass of consequent error', he concluded, had proved too high a price for any insight thereby gained. He had in mind the infatuation with Darwinism of an earlier generation of social scientists."

 

Sociobiology developed from Wilson's observations of social insects and kin selection, a theory proposed by William Hamilton in 1964. Kin selection was thought of in vague terms before Hamilton, but he was able to provide the mathematical basis. While the theory seemed quite sound many people were alarmed at sociobiology being able to validate things like racism and sexism.

[fafalone]

Not all behavoirs are really well explained by evolution.

[Glider]

This is true. Behaviour has become extremely complex, and I doubt many particular behaviours could be well explained through evolution. However, I do believe the underlying drives to all behaviours can be explained through evolution. The development of 'civilisation' and the adaptation of our behaviour to urban society is a comparatively recent event. I don't think events of the last 5-7,000 years can wipe out millions of years of evolutionary programming.

 

Originally posted by Skye

While the theory seemed quite sound many people were alarmed at sociobiology being able to validate things like racism and sexism.

That's true. Some people are still a bit alarmed about it. They don't want to find real bases for racism, sexism or any of the nasty 'isms'. However, those people should remember two things:

 

1) Validation of a thing does not mean to excuse it or condone it or to find it acceptable. Validation is an observation, not a value judgment.

 

2) You can only solve a 'real' problem. In medicine, you can only treat a disease if the underlying pathology is understood. If you treat it as "something that just happens; we don't know why", then you are left treating the symptoms only, not the underlying cause.

 

Tree hugging hippy crap "political correctness" is an attempt to treat the symptoms only. All it means is that it is no longer acceptable for people to say what they feel. The only effect this has is to stop people saying it. It doesn't stop them feeling it. It makes it harder to deal with the underlying causes, because it's driven underground and hidden, where it festers like an abscess, thriving in infected pools of pus in the form of neo-nazi groups and suchlike.

[apollo2011]

Just a little side note:

 

Some calculations I did say that based on CHINCHILLA's given info, he watched the documentary when he was 7 yrs old. That is pretty good!

 

CHINCHILLA:

You think you will be a doctor of some sort someday?

 

(Don't get any ideas you all. I am not a doctor myself)