It has been 36 years since Insect Societies, the primer of modern evolutionary behavior theory, and a start of an embodiment of work which would lead to emerging concepts of biological determinism, and the concept of the selfish gene. Both of which have undergone tremendous scrutiny for their role in so called Social Darwinism and the layman's eugenics beliefs involving evolutionary psychology theory. E.O. Wilson has survived to see his once controversial ideas of Darwinian behavior models not only accepted by modern science, but skillfully used to help defeat the public enemy of rational thought in so much as explaining away their very reason for existence. The "ultra" Darwinist would consider anyone who thinks that Darwinism does not contain enough creative power to account for design as an enemy.
One of the last theist strongholds is in the field of human behavior, and the natural inclination we tend to have towards absolute morality. Scientists, of which about 7% believe in a personal God, have been working to answer the ever dominant and impotent "If there is no God, what reason is there to be good" argument(?).
Using the "reciprocal altruism" rule seems to most rational people a perfectly suitable explanation for evolved cooperative behavior among social animals. The lesser mentally evolved of our species would require less evidence, and more supernatural explanations. The use of game theory for example, is wholly insignificant to the great morality frothing from the bible.
Several articles today have cited a study posted yesterday by Duke University in Nature Magazine declaring that they have found the "altruistic" core of the brain. Altruism is one of the more difficult behaviors to define, but apparently the examples of active altruistic behavior are abundant enough to be noticeable to brain imaging techniques.
Almost 40 years after Wilson's breakthrough considerations, we have moved that much closer to accepting the "Universal Acid" of Darwinism in the understanding of our existence, and if the future scientists and philosophers of this thought process can handle the simultaneous acceptance of the underlying concept of the selfish gene, and at the same time the gentle removal of ancient text in morality, we may be that much closer to surviving the results of this surging culture war.
One of the last theist strongholds is in the field of human behavior, and the natural inclination we tend to have towards absolute morality. Scientists, of which about 7% believe in a personal God, have been working to answer the ever dominant and impotent "If there is no God, what reason is there to be good" argument(?).
Using the "reciprocal altruism" rule seems to most rational people a perfectly suitable explanation for evolved cooperative behavior among social animals. The lesser mentally evolved of our species would require less evidence, and more supernatural explanations. The use of game theory for example, is wholly insignificant to the great morality frothing from the bible.
Several articles today have cited a study posted yesterday by Duke University in Nature Magazine declaring that they have found the "altruistic" core of the brain. Altruism is one of the more difficult behaviors to define, but apparently the examples of active altruistic behavior are abundant enough to be noticeable to brain imaging techniques.
Almost 40 years after Wilson's breakthrough considerations, we have moved that much closer to accepting the "Universal Acid" of Darwinism in the understanding of our existence, and if the future scientists and philosophers of this thought process can handle the simultaneous acceptance of the underlying concept of the selfish gene, and at the same time the gentle removal of ancient text in morality, we may be that much closer to surviving the results of this surging culture war.
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