Key Terms in Evolutionary Biology of Sex, Gender, and Sexuality: Biological determinism

= Biological Determinism   =

Definition
Biological Determinism is the belief that “what we are is natural and therefore fixed.”  It is the theory that our behavior is innate and has developed through adaptive traits made necessary through evolution. “It is the interpretation of humans and human life from a strictly biological point of view.” It is the view that an organisms’ genes determines the behavior of that organism as well as determining its changes throughout its life. Environmental or social aspects have nothing to do with our behavior, it is merely our innate characteristics that determine how we act in society. “Biological Determinism is based on two principles: human social phenomena are direct consequences of the behaviors of individuals and individuals behaviors are direct consequences of inborn physical characteristics.” Biological Determinist theory claims that there are multiple evolutionary differences between the sexes. Males are aggressive, promiscuous and fickle; while women are shy and coy and meant for reproduction. “All biological determinist agree that men/boys are more aggressive then women/girls." Women’s hormones provide them with a greater nurutrative tendency and men’s with a more aggressive tendency. The theory is that this is so, so women can take care of the children while men can go find resources.

The Term in Context
Biological Determinist theory reasons between male and female relationships by claiming that because women only produce about 400 viable eggs in there lifetime and are always sure of the maternity of their child they have no reason to be promiscuous. However men can never be quite sure. Therefore, it is in their best interest to mate with as many females as possible as to assure the reproduction of their genes. It is in the best interest of the female to find one male and have him provide the resources for her and her children. As oppose to the male, whose best interest is to mate as much as possible assuring maximum fitness, or “the ability to have many healthy descendants that are themselves able to reproduce and thus spread genes.” This example is used as an evolutionary explanation for contexts in which male infidelity and promiscuity can occur.

Theories
The popularity of biological determinist theory came form trying to reduce the importance of the “inferior” race and sex. The point was to delegitimize their claims for equal rights by saying that men were genetically predetermined to be in control as oppose to women and that white men were genetically more intelligent then other men based solely on genetics. “Biological differences in IQ became an influential part of the campaign against black and Asian immigration.” It was basically saying that this was the way genetics made us and we should adapt to it. “The growth of biological determinist thought and argument in the early 1970’s was a direct result of the militant demands that could not be met due to the difficulty acceding to the economic pressures of blacks, immigrants and women.”

A Brief History and Controversies
A great representation of controversies relating to the theory of Biological Determinism is the Eugenics Movement. In the late nineteenth early twentieth century Francis Galton and Karl Pearson began the Eugenics Movement. The Eugenics movement was campaign for selective breeding for the first three decades of the previous century. The idea was to selectively look for the” best genes” as to improve the species. ‘This same testimony was used to proclaim that slaves, Jews, Italians, and others were mentally dull and their dullness was racial, this gave scientific legitimacy to pass the immigration restriction act of 1924. The same argument used to pass this act was used for the German racial eugenics law that began the sterilization of the mentally and morally undesirable and ended in Auschwitz”

Multiple other perspectives on human development disagree with views of biological determinism such as Humanism and Postmodernism. Most think that environmental aspects of our lives can impact our brain processing and vice versa, other theorists think that are behavior is a direct result of socialization. Biological Determinism is often used as an excuse for oppression and deviant behavior. It is sometimes seen as “bad science.” Biological Determinism is a fascinating theory that has cause a lot of controversy in all aspects of life.

Author
Rebecca Waintrup