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 Ian, I very much agree with your remarks and underlying threads of thought.  Though I haven't had time to fully explore the connections, I'm pretty convinced that studies like the Stanford Prison experiment( Zimbardo), Obedience experiments (Milgram), and social, cognitive developmental theories proposed in Catching Fire (Wrangham) build upon and shape underlying human and organismal biology.  I also reflect upon our absolute vital dependence upon social cultural structure and support.  Thinking outside the box (whatever box it is) remains an act of courage, and isn't always pretty, a school is a powerful thing.
Thanks,
Charles
On Mar 4, 2011, at 10:44 AM, Ian Russell wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Hasn't this been a stimulating discussion!
> 
> The shoaling-fish-model is a powerful and alarming metaphor for human
> decision-making in what we may have mistakenly termed The Age of Reason. 
> 
> I also believe it is relevant to the original topic, and particularly to the
> revelation that huge numbers of people support or oppose evolution with no
> real understanding of what they are supporting or opposing.
> 
> Charles Carlson has certainly convinced me that we are all influenced by our
> inner fish to some extent. Yet we are not fish: we are primates and in
> primates shoals have evolved into tribes. Each of us is strongly influenced
> by our inner tribesman. (Sorry, I just couldn't write tribesperson.) Or are
> scientists immune to football fanaticism?
> 
> It seems that we have 'multiple intelligences'. I propose that each modern
> human also has 'multiple tribes', including ethnicity, religion, politics
> and often of course a football team...
> 
> Religion especially is about cultural identity, not actually just about what
> people believe or what people understand. Much of an individual's personal
> identity is invested in the religion they profess (here it is important to
> include atheism, incidentally). 
> 
> Seen in this light, all the really divisive issues in religion, politics,
> football etc. are those which have become us-versus-them 'tribal markings'. 
> 
> Can you see where I'm going with this? Anti-evolutionism has become
> established as a tribal marking for anyone whose sense of personal identity
> is heavily invested in 'belonging' to a particular religion. Similarly,
> pro-evolutionism is an equally recognised tribal marking for anyone calling
> themselves an atheist.
> 
> I think it is terribly important to recognise this irrational component of
> human thinking. It shows why information about evolution does not reliably
> change people's beliefs. It may also show why children are easier to win
> over than adults. To my mind, it certainly fits with people opposing or
> supporting evolution without understanding it.
> 
> I have had a fair bit of success in presenting evolution to church groups. I
> now realise that my success has been based on attacking an audience's
> prejudices about their tribal markings and the tribal marking of their
> perceived enemies. I demonstrate to them that anti-evolutionism is not an
> essential part of being a Christian (speaking to an audience of Christians).
> I also demonstrate that not all individuals marked as pro-evolutionists are
> anti-Christian or eat babies. I can report that this approach is Highly
> effective. I spoke about it at last year's ECSITE Conference in Dortmund:
> "Darwin's Bulldogs & Darwin's Church mice".
> 
> Promoting public engagement with science
> through a contagious delight in phenomena
> *
> [log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
> *
> Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
> Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
> *
> Ian Russell (Twitter: ianrusselluk)
> 
> 

The opinions and thoughts expressed here are my own and should in no way be construed or attributed to the Exploratorium or related organization, and do not represent an institutional position.

Charles Carlson
Senior Scientist
exploratorium
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
[log in to unmask]
Tel:   415-561-0319
Fax:  415-561-0370





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