July 2010: Darwin and Politics

Evolutionary psychology has wide-ranging implications for the social sciences and even for philosophy itself. How did we come to develop institutions like the family, religion, government, and the market? How did we develop our sense of right and wrong, and what role, if any, did evolution play in these momentous occurrences?

And — when we’re done answering all these weighty questions — what about politics? Is there such thing as an evolutionary politics? Or is the whole enterprise, as critics charge, by now starting to run away with itself?

In this month’s Cato Unbound, Professor Larry Arnhart makes the case for a classical liberalism grounded in the insights of evolutionary psychology. Well-known as the author of the book Darwinian Conservatism, which stresses the importance of evolutionary thought to a conservative political viewpoint, here Arnhart emphasizes that evolutionary biology can be a friend to liberalism, too. (Indeed, Darwinian Liberalism is the title of one of his current projects.)

The evidence, he argues, is all around, from Charles Darwin’s own liberal sympathies, to the anti-racist implications of mankind’s common descent, to the cultural evolution of societies toward greater tolerance, peacefulness, and industry. Just as human descent is common, many human values and aspirations are also common, and these are the foundations of a rational liberalism, one based firmly in evolutionary science.

Evolutionary psychology, though, remains a controversial field, and it stands to reason that its extension into politics will be controversial, too. This month we’ve recruited a group of eminent scientists to examine Arnhart’s claims in detail. Developmental biologist PZ Myers of the popular science blog Pharyngula, behavioral scientist Herbert Gintis, and anthropologist Lionel Tiger will each weigh in over the course of the next two weeks, followed by a discussion among all four.

As always, Cato Unbound readers are encouraged to take up our themes, and enter into the conversation on their own websites and blogs, or on other venues. Trackbacks are enabled. We also welcome your letters. Send them to wwilkinson at cato.org.