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The Sociobiology Debate

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The Sociobiology Debate

Sociobiology is one of the latest theories of evolution. Edward O. Wilson (2000) defined

it as a systematic study of biological basis on social behaviors amongst all living things,

including human beings. The theory suggests that social behavior changes instigate the rise of

new species because behavior changes an organism's gene frequency. Though sociobiology is

related to other scientific disciplines like comparative psychology and ethology, Wilson merged

it with another different behavioral biology branch in his publication Sociobiology: The New

Synthesis in 1975. The publication is precise, detailed, and technical, with examples of insects,

animal, and human behavior. His publication has caused controversies and critics between

social scientists, especially sociologists, and biological and evolutionary scientists to date.

The Debate

The moment Wilson published Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, he signed a

longstanding debate. The controversy pits the notion of human destiny being determined solely

by genes against the idea that the environment determines an individual's behaviors. People have

different views concerning this issue. Some have regarded sociology as non-scientific. They

believe Edward O. Wilson overstretched the scientific powers into areas it was not valuable

(Rosenfeld, 1981). They argue that culture and human behavior cannot be reduced to biological

terms. Also, they hold that his attempts are futile because the aspect of culture is approached

with different models and principles. Also, moral codes cannot be fashioned by restructuring the

evolution of the mind or outlining the neurochemical responses. Wilson’s idea continues to face

critics because people believe social behavior is experienced and earned, not inherited. It is

thought to social behavior is developed through culture, education, learning, incentives, or social

programs.
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Evolution theory has several agents that different renowned geneticists and biologists have

forwarded. However, none of them included sociobiology, social behavior, animal behavior, or

altruism as an evolution agent, hence deeming Wilson's theory non-scientific. They believe that

sociobiology has no relation with evolution principles.

Opinion

I'm afraid I have to disagree with critics deeming sociobiology as not scientific. It is

unbelievable how anyone who reads Wilson's book could think his idea is not scientific at all.

Wilson claims something that happens around humans daily. To an extent, which an individual

is or how he/she behaves is a result of genetic makeup. Genes do not determine behavior; they

influence what an individual does or why they do it, such as looking into a family with different

behavioral traits. Perhaps the father suffers from anger and the mother from depression. Some

of these behaviors might reflect in their child's psyche.

Alternatively, it does not matter what his idea is; science is all about attempting to

measure and master the empirical data while understanding it. It the duty of other scientists to

interpret and even correct other theories when necessary, not disbanding them altogether. The

Society is free to discuss the problems that might arise from the new piece of information.

However, condensing intellectual freedom, prevents any possibility of knowledge.

Conclusion

The debate has been there for years, and it will not die; in fact, it will continue to be

propelled by people’s growing need to understand sociobiology. Like all other scientific
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theories, sociobiology has passed through the ideology sieve, and it has been shredded and

strained. Only the half-truths and implications are remaining. Sociobiology is here to stay; it just

depends on what one wants to believe.

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References

Rosenfeld, A. (1981). Sociobiology stirs a controversy over limits of science. Educational

Horizons, 59(2), 70-74. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42924425?seq=1

Wilson, E. O. (2000). Sociobiology: The new synthesis. Harvard University Press.