Science and Human Nature

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

The natural sciences and social sciences have constructed theories of nature and conceptions of human nature. If our species is entirely natural then physics, ecology, evolutionary biology, and physiology may determine what human beings basically are, and which features define our humanity. Building from that anthropological definition, sociology and psychology try to explain human drives, behaviors, relationships, and cultures with theories yielding insights into our values, ethics, laws, and politics. Are we really so easily categorizable and predictable? We still think of ourselves in non-natural ways, such as beliefs about conscious choice, free will, moral responsibility, and spirituality. Today, genetic engineering, neurotechnology, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence are changing what it means to be human, and how to become more than human. At the same time, leaving human nature in the hands of technoscience could be impeding progress towards liberation, equality, and justice. Satisfies the science and society MALS course.