Philosophical Questions and Biological Findings, Part I: Human Cooperativity, Competition, and Aggression
This first part of a two-part article illustrates how research in evolutionary biology and psychology illuminates questions arising in philosophy—specifically questions about the origins of severe, systemic aggression that arise in the mimetic theory of René Girard. Part I looks at: (i) how old the...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell
[2020]
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| In: |
Zygon
Year: 2020, Volume: 55, Issue: 4, Pages: 1058-1089 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Girard, René 1923-2015
/ Mimesis
/ Evolutionary biology
/ Cooperation
/ Multiplicity of crimes (Biology)
/ Aggressiveness
/ Philosophy
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| IxTheo Classification: | AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism AD Sociology of religion; religious policy VA Philosophy |
| Further subjects: | B
hunter-gatherer society
B cooperativity B René Girard B archaic societies B Human Aggression B Mimetic Theory |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | This first part of a two-part article illustrates how research in evolutionary biology and psychology illuminates questions arising in philosophy—specifically questions about the origins of severe, systemic aggression that arise in the mimetic theory of René Girard. Part I looks at: (i) how old the systemic practice of severe aggression is, (ii) how much results from humanity's mimetic/social and competitive nature and how much from ecological, resource, and cultural conditions, and (iii) if ecological and cultural conditions are important, might we adapt them toward greater cooperativity today? After briefly reviewing mimetic theory, the article looks at evolutionary psychology and biology, including fossil and archeological evidence. Findings suggest that severe, systemic aggression might be relatively recent and that its occurrence depends on ecological/resource/socioeconomic conditions additional to our mimetic/social nature. Thus, distinguishing the conditions that prod aggression from those that support pro-social behavior might aid us in structuring society today. |
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| ISSN: | 1467-9744 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Zygon
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/zygo.12645 |