Midterm- Sociobiology

Question 1

what is sociobiology

Answer 1

Attempt to explain human physiology and behavior
through the intersection of biological, evolutionary, and social/cultural mechanisms

Question 2

Who is Herbert Spencer?

Answer 2

Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was a sociologist who coined the terms “survival of the fittest” and “social Darwinism.”
Used to theorize a dark vision of society as necessarily and unforgivingly exploitative; justifies unchecked greed and atrocities.

Spencer saw biological evolution as the surest mechanism for social
progress and the perfection of the human species.

Question 3

what is social darwinism

Answer 3

• Spencer saw biological evolution as the surest mechanism for social progress and the perfection of the human species (the more brutal society is, the better humanity will be)
• Tautology: one’s lower position in society is seen as evidence of your inherent biological and evolutionary inferiority

Question 4

define scientism

Answer 4

Trusting in seemingly but not really scientific explanations because they
borrow terms from science. These ideas bear the legitimacy we afford to science
without being truly scientific

ex: social darwinism

Question 5

define biological reductionism

Answer 5

treating complex phenomenon (behavior, culture, recognition) as caused only by the biological condition

ex: if people are born poor, there is no reason to educate them or improve society in any way. they are innately inferior people

Question 6

Sapolsky: how does he define Us/Them and what amplifies this process?

Answer 6

Us/Them-ing involves inflating the merits of Us concerning core values- we are more correct, wise, moral and worthy when it comes to knowing what the gods in people in society today
Perhaps even more than superiority, feelings about Us center on shared obligations, or willingness and expectation of mutuality

Question 7

Sapolsky: What is in-group parochialism?

Answer 7

the goal that your group does well, or simply better than Them? Both occur, but it’s more often concerned about Us beating Them than with Us simply doing well.

Question 8

Sapolsky: what is the role of disgust in us/theming?

Answer 8

The role of disgust explains that people with the strongest negative attitudes towards immigrants, foreigners, and socially deviant groups tend to have low thresholds for interpersonal disgust (don’t like sitting in a warm seat that was just vacated, etc)

Question 9

Sapolsky: define essentialism

Answer 9

treating qualities of an individual as innate

Question 10

Sapolsky: cognition and justification of us/theming?

Answer 10

“Stereotyping isn’t a case of lazy, short-cutting cognition. It isn’t conscious cognition at all.”
Such automaticity generates statements like “I can’t put my finger on why, but it’s just wrong when They do that.”
Cognitions are just justifications for feelings and intuitions, to convince yourself that you have indeed rationally put your finger on why
No one even knows the basis of a prejudice

Question 11

What was Marx’s prediction about capitalism

Answer 11

• Expanding markets: Competition leads to expansion of markets, however, one day markets won’t have anywhere to expand once demand is met. This is one reason why capitalism will collapse in on itself
• Alienation of labor: Separation between one’s self and the what they make/how they work/other workers
• Creative destruction: Competition requires the creation and adoption of new and more efficient ways of production. The race for more efficient means of production leads to a buildup of discarded technologies and wasteful uses of human energy and large-scale unemployment as labor is moving away from human workers