2.2. Impact of Biology on Politics and Vice Versa at the Behavioral Level

This section concentrates on social and political developments that are amenable to biopolitical analysis in terms of behavioral sciences. First, the focus will be on the influence of evolution-molded behavioral predispositions and tendencies on human social behavior as related to politics, and this is the B → P pathway. Second, the issue will be addressed what social technologies can be used by the political system at the biobehavioral/ethological level in order to manipulate human behavior for political (ideological, military) purposes. Obviously, this is the P → B pathway.

M. Foucault predominantly interpreted biopolitics, aka biopower, as the regulation of the demographic characteristics of the population by the state. In terms of my modified interpretation of biopolitics, its P → B dimension also includes the political system’s influence on the citizens’/subjects’ behavior. This influence is actually implicit in the Foucauldian concept of biopower/biopolitics forasmuch as regulating mortalitity, morbidity, birth rate, etc. implies putting human social behavior under control.

Overall, this section deals with the B ↔ P “two-way street” from the biobehavioral perspective.

1 Political science can be defined as “the study of politics and the way that political power is used in a country” (Macmillan Dictionary, 2011).

2 Myxobacteria exchange messages using signal molecules, such as proteinaceous factor C, which are attached to the cell surface. Another cell can receive the message only by touching the envelope of the sender cell.

3 Some biologists have recently expressed their doubts about the validity of Hamilton’s mathematical calculations in this example. However, changing these details does not alter the main message.

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