The Genetics of Human Nature

M Y PRIMARY intentions in this article will be: (1) to expose a philosophical viewpoint about human nature which is reinforced by elementary facts about the nature and place of man in the universe; (2) to discuss the idea of “natural” in the context of evolutionary adaptation; (3) to offer some impressions of the current status of experimental and human biology and of its possible relevance to contemporary social controversy; and (4) to discuss some areas of convergence of social and biological research. In undertaking this task I had in mind not only the fulfillment of a communicative responsibility to others but the opportunity to educate myself about the perceptions of biological research that might be entertained by students of society.’