Sociobiology Nature versus nurture Ants Commentary

E. O. Wilson sociobiology

Sociobiology

• E. O. Wilson didn’t invent sociobiology,
• but he wrote the textbook on it,
• asserting that social behaviors have evolved
• as have physical traits,
• but he raisied controversy by his application
• of sociobiology to human societies,
• showing that even humans have instinctual behaviors,
• and that kin or group selection supports altruism.

Nature versus nurture

• Cultural universals suggest
• something is natural
• about many human behaviors.
• Some thought that what
• made humankind human
• was the lack of instinctual behavior.
• Behavioralists taught
• they could train anyone to do anything
• whatsoever when they grew up.
• Others maybe didn’t want
• to give anything credit
• other than their own efforts.