Topic > The connection between genes and culture in the fitness of human nature

One of the most famous American scientists and writers, Edward O. Wilson, in his piece, The Fitness of Human Nature, demonstrates that genes and culture are linked to the evolution of human beings. Wilson's purpose is to exemplify that sociobiology is immensely integrated into human evolution. Adopt an informative tone to appeal to a wide audience. Wilson writes an easy-to-read scientific passage that can be understood by a wider audience while portraying credibility as a scientist and writer. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayWilson begins his passage by hypothesizing what human nature is, the characteristics of human nature, and stating that humans have brains based solely on its evolution. “It is epigenetic rules, the hereditary regularities of mental development that influence the evolution of culture in one direct way over another and thus link genes to culture…” (Austin 145). Wilson brings his credibility by talking about a scientific term that has not been stored in their vocabulary and demonstrates his knowledge of the concept. Wilson also uses the term "epigenetic rules" to show that it connects the two largest parts of our evolution, but he does so by giving the exact definition of the phrase and immediately explains why it is in the passage. He later says “…I wish neither to overburden the metaphor of the selfish gene nor to downplay the creative powers of the mind” (Austin 145). Likewise, with the quote before this one, he uses terminology not used in everyday speech to justify his credible background. This second term is used to inform that humans possess selfish genes. Shortly after stating the term, he concisely defines selfish genes using a minimal amount of words and provides a definition at the bottom of the page. Providing background information helps readers learn the material versus demonstrating unfamiliar concepts without background (Cross 9). This is exactly what Wilson does to keep his large audience informed. Furthermore, “brains that choose wisely possess superior Darwinian fitness, meaning that they statistically survive longer and leave more children than brains that choose poorly” (Austin 145). The word “statistically” stands out and refers to the previous research Wilson has done on this topic as a scientist and researcher. Now he comes to the concept that our brain is more complex and different from that of other species. It also introduces another concept of evolution, "Darwinian fitness". He simply states what the human brain has, but then immediately translates what he said. Furthermore, Wilson finds, “What is truly unique about human evolution, as opposed to chimpanzee or wolf evolution, is that much of the environment that shapes it has been cultural” (Austin 146). Wilson compares human and particular animal evolutions as if he had studied them because he knows how they compare and contrast. Providing light on a comparison between two different ideas can help readers understand what the author is trying to say. Wilson argues that human evolution is unique and does so by comparing two different developments. Comparing concepts helps readers understand the idea that human nature is indeed diverse. Throughout this section, Wilson demonstrates his scientific knowledge of human evolution with an informative tone that helps readers understand complex ideas within human evolution. After quickly discussing the fundamentals of human nature, Wilson explains what sociobiology is and the proceduresof meaningful research. which takes place on the topic. “Sociobiology… offers a key link in the attempt to explain the biological foundation of human nature” (Austin 146). As a scientist, he can easily build connections between two topics: sociobiology and human nature. When Wilson defines sociobiology he also adds in "... (or Darwinian anthropology, or evolutionary psychology, or whatever politically acceptable term you choose to call it)..." (Austin 146). This addition makes the word more recognizable to the general public. Therefore, it is easier to understand. After defining sociobiology, he begins to provide an outline of the research procedure in human studies on page 146. Wilson does this easily because he has had experience in human studies and can inform readers about it. Providing an outline can convey a logical flow to your audience and make the research process easier to understand. Wilson also uses an organizing strategy, “…organizing strategies are used to build connections and develop relationships between ideas” (Cross 13). Using one type of organizational strategy can help his audience by learning the material that Wilson teaches. To be more specific, “definition is an organizational strategy, as is clustering or any other activity that groups concepts into taxonomic categories with shared characteristics. Categorizing is an important learning and ultimately studying activity in disciplines such as botany, zoology, and biology” (Cross 13). Wilson serves his purpose perfectly, teaching a biology topic and using category classification within the text to easily inform readers. With Wilson's strategies for discussing sociobiology and the procedures that take place in the study of human studies, he once again leaves readers more knowledgeable about sociobiology. After a current view on human studies, Wilson brings the audience back and discusses the early evolutionary principles that are still within human evolutionary development. In this section, Wilson summarizes each concept with his information on the topic. It summarizes kin selection, parental investment, mating strategy, status, territorial expansion and defense, and contractual agreement. Wilson demonstrates credibility by showing his information on these principles without using any sources. Additionally, he demonstrates credibility through his ability to apply these concepts to particular examples and connections. As Wilson describes his knowledge about evolution, he can easily enlighten readers by providing examples and making connections. When Wilson discusses kin selection, he gives the case of two sisters, only one of them had children, and this resulted in a loss of genetic fitness on pages 146-147. After mentioning this example, on page 147 he states an important idea that those genes spread through the population. Using this type of logical flow helps readers understand when you demonstrate ideas. An example of Wilson using connections is the part where he discusses contractual agreements. He brings together the concept of contractual agreements and the status system of insects based on their differences on page 149. Additionally, Wilson can connect these principles to other ideas because he has had a background in studying evolution within different species. Having someone who has background on the topic in question makes the person much more credible in what they say. The first principles of evolution are easier to learn from an individual who is reliable on the subject. Having credibility and providing an example or link gave the audience a better approach to being informed about?