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| SocioBiologist E.O. Wilson |
What
is eusociality? Sociobiologist and biodiversity scientist E.O. Wilson's
evolutionary epigenetic law is second only to Darwin's law of species adaptation
to survive. It says that successful species will work together and even
sacrifice itself to ensure the larger group's survival. This genetic trait is
known as eusociality and was evidenced again in the terrorist attacks in Paris:
"Chris Cocking says that most people are likely to try to help each other
even in extreme situations. 'There's an assumption that it's everybody for
themselves but that just doesn't happen,' he says."
Pointedly, the Christian faith is centered around one God-man who redeems,
Jesus. That the Christian church as an institution in its best traditions
sacrifices for the spiritual and physical survival of humanity. That the
bible's best passages preach a narrative of like group cooperation to survive.
And that even the Christian story of origins is built upon the eusocial
narrative that humanity is part of something greater than itself. That the way
to achieve our epic constitution unites human spirituality, instead of cleaving
it, so that it is composed of the best of the human nature, filled with
potentiality, finitude, and loss.
As a Christian, though these ideas are part of evolutionary observation and
corroborated in the bible as epic narratives composed from an ancient
mythological mindset using poetic language, I find comfort in knowing our God
wisely placed these evolutionary instincts into the construct of life both by
decree as well as by sovereign guidance. This observation then would describe
the teleology of evolution - that at a deep level of procreation there are genetic
principles of nurture driven to a concerted end of species survival against all
environmental outcomes. At Relevancy22 this has been written and restated in
dozens of articles for further evaluation.
So then, horrific events like the one witnessed earlier this week in Paris
detail both the evil of a committed nihilistic society believing it must
sacrifice itself by ridding the world of non-groups of unbelievers based on an
errant religious myth of purity/divine acceptance. While at the same time other
religious and non-religious groups work together against this threat to their
own eusocial society's survival. Each evidencing epigenetic characteristics of
survival. This is what is meant as studying humanity from an anthropologic
social behaviorist or biodiversity mode of perspective both from a humanist
and/or a religious viewpoint.
And, I might add, in an odd way, but completely understandable view, the reason
non-group refugees are either rejected or accepted to be aided. I like to think
its consciously based but it must allow for unconscious choices as well driven
either by species survival or species expansion as a postmodern reaction
against past urges. Which is a discussion best left for another time (ReneGirard, mimetic theory, scapegoating & victimization).
R.E. Slater
November 20, 2015
Related Topics
Wikipedia Bio - E.O. Wilson
Wikipedia - Epigenetics
Wikipedia - Eusociality - Eusocial animals express complex behaviors, like group decision-making. Evolutionary biologists have asked how and why eusociality has evolved, and what we can learn from eusocial organisms.
Knowledge Project - An Introduction to Eusociality
Wikipedia - Evolution
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Figure 4: Diagram illustrating factors contributing to the evolution of primitive
eusociality and that advanced eusociality is a social state that is not reversible
(past the point of "no return," individual workers have lost the capacity
to reproduce independently)
© 2010 Nature Education All rights reserved.
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| Attacks of the magnitude of those that took place in Paris, killing 129 people and injuring more than 400, are extremely rare. The authorities do prepare for these emergencies but what advice is there for ordinary people? |