Final Solutions: Biology, Prejudice, and Genocide
By Richard M. LernerThe nature-nurture debate continues to stir controversy in the social and behavioral sciences. How much of human behavior and development can be attributed to biology and how much to the environment? Can either be said to "determine" human development? And what are the implications of each view for society? In this important study, a noted developmental psychologist contributes to this debate by confronting the difficult issue of "doctrines" of human development and the consequences for society of deriving political programs and public policy from them.
Beginning with the premise that scientific ideas are not neutral but can be used for either good or evil, Richard Lerner considers the recent history of one such idea, biological determinism, which at times has had the backing of respected scientists, intellectuals, and political leaders. During this century, biological determinism has been coupled with political philosophies that hold that some people are inherently better than others. This has meant that certain groups of people-Jews, Blacks, Native Americans, women-have been stigmatized because of supposedly innate, even "biological," differences, with sometimes disastrous consequences. The most notorious instance was Nazi Germany, where "racial science," given legitimacy by the scientific community, became a cornerstone of the Nazi "Final Solution."
Meanwhile, theories of biological determinism continue to find adherents within the scientific community. Konrad Lorenz, who was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1973, was a critical figure in the development of the most recent manifestation of biological determinism-sociobiology. Lerner examines the work of Lorenz and current sociobiologists and the implications of their claims for modern society. He fears that biological determinism may again be co-opted to serve the political agenda of today's reactionary politicians. In fact, Lerner notes, sociobiologists have had to face the fact that organizations such as the fascist National Front party in Britain and its counterparts in France and the United States have selectively seized upon sociobiology to fuel their notions of genetically superior and inferior races.
Book details
- Hardcover
- 260 pages
- English
- 0271007931
- 9780271007939
About Richard M. Lerner
richard m. lerner was Read More about Richard M. Lerner
More Books By Richard M. Lerner
People who bought this also bought
Create Blog and Editorial Planner : Create Exceptional Content, Get More Done and Smash Through Your Blogging Goals
Used Book
Images of Hope: Imagination as Healer of the Hopeless
Used Book
Do Humankind's Best Days Lie Ahead?: The Munk Debates by Steven Pinker
New Book
The Soaps: Daytime Serials of Radio and TV Book by Madeleine Edmondson
Used Book
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management (including featured article
New Book
Girls and Young Women Leading the Way : 20 True Stories about Leadership
Used Book
Juggling Twins : The Best Tips, Tricks, and Strategies from Pregnancy to the Toddler Years
Used Book
Sushi and Tapas: Bite-size Personal Stories from Women Around the World
Used Book
Terror in the Mind of God : The Global Rise of Religious Violence
Used Book
Interpreting Women's Lives: Feminist Theory and Personal Narratives
Used Book
Genius Born of Anguish : The Life and Legacy of Henri Nouwen
Used Book