Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Mechanisms of Stress Resilience - Significant Findings, Advancements, and Future Research
Published on: December 15, 2023
Is the holocaust relevant to sociobiology?
1Anatomical Sciences at Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City College of the City University of New York, USA.
Abstract:
Sociobiologists have emphasized that altruism and benevolent behavior are part of the genetic repertoire of most animals and certainly of man. They have constructed a theory of "ethics" as a biological phenomenon without reference to the concept of evil. It is concluded here however, that holocaust behavior is not equivalent to the "natural manifestation of an incompletely tamed animal flashing its teeth." Biologists have been too rigid in trying to equate "ethical behavior" with "social behavior." The added dimension of ethical behavior is a special kind of sensitivity to the needs of others, just as evil is the total lack of it. The evolution of this moral sense may itself have important selective value for the human species, whose survival depends on creating maximal diversity in its gene pool.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Impact of Individuals on Individuals
Introduction to Biological Bases of Psychology
The nervous system, the cornerstone of...
Evolutionary Psychology
Impact of Groups on Groups

