Sociobiology: Sense or Nonsense?
In June 1975, the distinguished Harvard entomologist Edward O. Wilson published a truly huge book entitled, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis. In this book, drawing on both fact and theory, Wilson tried to present a com prehensive overview of the rapidly g
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EPISTEME
A SERIES IN THE FOUNDATIONAL, METHODOLOGICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THE SCIENCES, PURE AND APPLIED
Editor: MARIO BUNGE Foundations and Philosophy of Science Unit, McGill University
Advisory Editorial Board: RUTHERFORD ARIS, Chemistry, University of Minnesota HUBERT M. BLALOCK, Sociology, University of Washington GEORGE BUGLIARELLO, Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York NOAM CHOMSKY, linguistics, MIT KARL
W. DEUTSCH, Political science,Harvard University
BRUNO FRITSCH, Economics, E.T.H. Zurich ER WI N HI EB ER T, History of science, Harvard University ARISTID LINDENMAYER. Biology, University of Utrecht JOHN MYHI LL, Mathematics, SUNY at Buffalo JOHN MA YNARD SMITH, Biology, University of Sussex RAIMO TUOMELA, Philosophy, University of Helsinki
VOLUME
8
MICHAEL RUSE University of Guelph. Guelph. Ontario. CanadD
SOCIOBIOLOG Y: SENSE OR NONSENSE? Second Edition
*
D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY A MEMBER OF THE KLUWER
ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS GROUP
DORDRECHT/BOSTON/LANCASTER
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Ruse, Michael. Sociobiology, sense or nonsense? Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Social behavior in animals-Philosophy. 2. SociobiologyPhilosophy. I. Title. QL775.R87 1984 591.51 84-11542 ISBN-13: 978-90-277-1798-6 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-6438-9 001: 10.1007/978-94-009-6438-9
Published by D. Reidel Publishing Company, P. O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, Holland. Sold and distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada by Kluwer Boston Inc. 190 Old Derby Street, Hingham, MA 02043, U.S.A. In all other countries, sold and distributed by Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, P. O. Box 322, 3300 AH Dordrecht, Holland. First published 1979 Reprinted 1979 Reprinted 1980 Reprinted 1982 Second Edition 1985 3-1187 -400 Is
All Righ ts Reserved © 1979/1985 by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrccht, Holland Softcover reprint of the hardcover I st Edition 1985 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any m~alls. electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner
For my wife April
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. INTRODUCTION Notes to Chapter I
xi xiii
1 4
2. THE BIOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 2.1. Sociobiology as Biology 2.2. Principles of Genetics 2.3. Population Genetics 2.4. Selection as Preserver of the Status Quo 2.5. The Level of Selection 2.6. The Theory of Evclution 2.7. Sociobiology as part of Evolutionary Theory Notes to Chapter 2
5 5 7 9 11 13 16 19 21
3. THE SOCIOBIOLOGY OF ANIMALS 3.1. Aggression: The EtholOgical Viewpoint 3.2. What is Animal Aggression Really Like? 3.3. Evolutionary Stable Strategies 3.4. Strengths and Limitations of the Game-theoretic Approach 3.5. Sex and Sexual Selection 3.6. Parental Investment 3.7. Female Reproductive Strategies 3.8. Parenthood 3.9. Altruism 3.10. Kin Selection 3.11. Parental Manipulation 3.1
