Speaker to discuss possible link between biological makeup, human's violent tendencies

Nature vs. Nurture has been a controversial issue for decades. Emporia State is bringing in David Barash, a published author of several books and a professor of psychology and zoology at Washington State.

From 4 to 5 p.m. on Monday, April 21 in Science Hall Room, 72 students can hear Barash discuss the conflict between cultural and biological evolution. Later that night at 7 p.m. students and community members are invited to hear Barash speak about how genetics may affect human’s tendencies towards violence.

Barash writes for the Chronicle of Education, and amongst his many publications, seven of his books are in the ESU library. Barash will focus on the sociobiology aspects of biology and how they affect human behavior.

“I think it’s great if we can understand where our violent tendencies come from and learn how we can strive to abolish them,” said Sammantha Lopez, freshman elementary education major. “However, that’s also a double edge sword because if we abolish all violent tendencies then other generations may not fully understand how to acknowledge what is good and peaceful.”

The event in Albert Taylor Hall will begin with Barash speaking about the tendencies of violence and how there may be more of a biological basis for what we as humans do than what we want to give credit for. Barash argues the ways in which our biological makeup influences our everyday actions.

“Barash will be covering quite a few topics,” said Richard Schrock, professor of biology and entomology. “When we look at people in America we think people do what they do because of free will and choice. However, sociobiological scientists are finding it’s more complicated than that.”

Sociobiologists look at the way in which human behavior may be similar to animals. They have found that often animals when they feel threatened have violent tendencies and when in packs they may attack weaker animals. This is often true for humans as well and although individuals like to believe that they have evolved passed animals they may still fall to these basic animal tendencies and become violent when we feel threatened.

This concept is also true when it come to mating. Scientist have noticed that the female animal will watch over their young and want the male animal to be protective and nearby for support. However, the male animal often tends to run around randomly being very promiscuous and attempting to have several offspring.

This can be applied to men and women today as men are generally more promiscuous and less committed than women.

“This is an interesting concept, one in which I think holds a lot of water,” said Brittany Hamilton, freshman undecided major. “I think we are all genetically enhanced to keep those basic human instincts that are bred into us from the evolution process and from our ancestors.”