[net.misc] Concerning Dawkins

phyllis (08/20/82)

While Richard Dawkins is considered "anathema" to some scientists
because of his generalizations and lack of proofs, his discipline,
Sociobiology, is quickly becoming "the new biology".  Unfortunately,
much of what he, E.O. Wilson, William Hamilton, etc., have to say
regarding genetic determinism is exploited by the media when the
"unknowing" extrapolate the results of experiments performed on 
social insects, and use this same data to publish ridiculous comments
on "instinctual" behavior in humans, as well as why humans cannot
be blamed for their behavior, "after all it is all in the genes".
In the long run, this sort of thinking can have very serious side effects.

				Phyllis Eve Bregman
				decvax!utzoo!phyllis