sociobiology

is an ideological derailment of darwinism, a kind of genetic capitalism brought to biology as an unfounded extension of social darwinism.

The Darwinian concept of natural selection has suffered a serious ideological derailment in recent years. Elements of the economic theory of action appropriate to the competitive market have been progressively substituted for the 'opportunistic' strategy of evolution envisioned in the 1940s and 1950s by Simpson, Mayr, J . Huxley. Dobzansky. and others. It might be said that Darwinism, at first appropriated to society as 'social Darwinism'. has returned to biology as a genetic capitalism. Sociobiology has especially contributed to the final stages of this theoretical development. (Sahlins. 1976, p. 72.)

is defined as the systematic study of the biological basis of all social behavior.

Sociobiology is defined as the systematic study of the biological basis of all social behavior'. E.O. Wilson

is objected to on the basis of a belief that humans are more than just animals (otherwise why all the fuss').

Obviously, at the centre of the objections to sociobiology is the belief that humans are more than just animals (otherwise why all the fuss'), and so the critics themselves should be sympathetic to this point I am making.

is the idea of natural selection transformed from the appropriation of natural resources to the expropriation of others' resources. In short, natural selection becomes social exploitation.

As a result of this, argues Sahlins, we have a new reading of natural selection, one which has ''a different calculus of evolutionary advantage than did the traditional idea of 'differential reproduction'''. (Ibid.) In particular, organisms go after each other and after each other's goods (understood in a broad sense), rather than making do with the environment. ''In the last stages of ideological derailment, sociobiology conceives the selective strategy insofar as it is played out in social interactions as the appropriation of other organism's life powers to one's own reproductive benefit. Natural selection is ultimately transfonned from the appropriation of natural resources to the expropriation of others' resources.' (Sahlins, 1976, p.73.) In short, natural selection becomes ''social exploitation''. (Ibid.)

is wrongheaded in that many biological traits are not the products of natural selection, favored due to their enhancement of reproduction or survival, but are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments.

Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould has argued that many biological traits are not the products of natural selection, favored due to their enhancement of reproduction or survival, but that they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments. (net).

is the cynic's science, based on the theory that the individual man, orangutan or sea cucumber is simply a convenient mechanism for ensuring the survival of ancient and dictatorial genes.

The cynic's science, based on the theory that the individual man, orangutan or sea cucumber is simply a convenient mechanism for ensuring the survival of ancient and dictatorial genes.

sociobiology, n.All

sociobiology