Download Notes on Lewens, Darwin, Chapter 6: Ethics

NOTES ON LEWENS, DARWIN, CHAPTERS 7-8: POLITICS AND PHILOSOPHY
I.
Consider the following conservative argument:
1.
If the theory of natural selection is true, then some inequalities (perhaps gender inequalities) are the
result of deep facts about human nature.
If an inequality has resulted from a deep fact about human nature, then no amount of social reform can
alter it.
The theory of natural selection is true.
Therefore, some inequalities cannot be altered.
2.
3.
4.
II.
Darwin and the political right:
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Eugenics = advocates controlled breeding programs such as forced sterilization to prevent “social
degeneration”
Social Darwinism = “the struggle for life (either between individuals or between social groups) is a
justified and effective means to human progress” (p. 220)
Darwin’s own version of Social Darwinism “rejects social struggle as the proper means to progress . . .
and advocates education and strong role models as the primary means to improvement in civilized
societies” (p. 220).
III.
Sexual equality and sexual selection: Buss’s argument that men look for youthful partners, women look for
partners with resources; and Buller’s challenge (227-231)
IV.
Darwin and the political left:
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V.
The malleability of human nature
Social and cultural forms of non-genetic inheritance
Niche-construction
Gould on two key features of evolution (p. 245):
(1)
(2)
It is highly contingent.
It is not progressive.
VI.
Conway Morris on convergent evolution
VII.
Progress as competitive advantage and an evolutionary trend toward increasing biological complexity through
“major transitions”
VIII.
Three types of naturalism (p. 259):
(1)
(2)
(3)
Weak = “whatever philosophical views we hold, they should not contradict our best science”
Strong = “scientific theory is the source of solutions to philosophical problems”
Ultra = “science is the sole repository of answers to problems that we have hitherto regarded as
philosophical”
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Lewens argues that Darwin was a strong but not an ultra-naturalist: “he believes that natural historical
reflections can raise the level of philosophical work on morality, for example, but I see little evidence that
he thinks traditional philosophy might be abandoned altogether” (pp. 259-260).
He also cautions against a narrowly Darwinian naturalism in which the theory of natural selection is
viewed as more important than contributions from other disciplines
Kitcher argues in favor of “bringing Darwin on to the philosophical team, not as the star player who wins
the day all by himself, but as a contributor to a much larger effort” (quoted on p. 261)
We should contrast philosophical naturalism with philosophical anti-naturalism (or supernaturalism?),
according to which the possibility of supernatural action is not excluded by the current practices and
theories of science; for the latter position, because naturalism regards the natural world as a closed
system of inviolable laws independent of theism or supernatural intervention, it causes science to come
to incorrect conclusions and inappropriately exclude research that claims to include such ideas.