In the 21st century, the life sciences exert a considerable
influence on the humanities and social sciences. People around the world pin their hopes on biology (which can help
overcome the ecological crisis and produce new kinds of cheap food) and are concerned about possible risks associated with its developments (such as the possible creation of
genetic mutants and cloned humans). Biological knowledge is being increasingly
applied to issues related to ethics, linguistics, esthetics, history, and politics. Biology is currently making a significant contribution to the
development of new guidelines concerning the economic and
cultural progress of humankind. This guidebook concentrates on an important
aspect of the biological mission in the present-day world: its
social and political implications. Taken together, they are referred to as
biopolitics in the book.
Biopolitics is founded on the "soft
naturalism” principle, implying that the human being is a multilevel entity.
Biological and cultural elements coexist, compete, and cooperate inside him.
Without equating a human being with an animal, biopolitics, nonetheless,
demonstrates to people how important the influence of evolutionary factors on
their behavior can actually be. Information concerning biological influences on
human behavior can help us explain how
certain human activity is driven by a variety of
subconscious or unconscious factors. Perhaps more importantly, it can help us
resist these influences if they are incompatible with our social norms, moral rules, or cultural traditions.