This chapter explains why the findings of the biological sciences are critical to both the study and the practice of public policy-making. It contrasts a biopolitical perspective to mainstream analytic approaches, showing that reliance on utilitarian assumptions and their derivative methodologies leads to distorted analyses and misdirected policies. Even in areas such as environmental policy, where the importance of biological science is acknowledged, analytic solutions are wrongly framed in utilitarian market terms. The need for incorporating biological research in social science is illustrated with discussions of public health policy (obesity) and findings from neuroscience (particularly the emotional components of rational thought). The author concludes that as global interdependence accelerates, there is less room for error. The well-being of society, even the survival of humankind, depends upon policies that incorporate knowledge about how complex biological systems evolve and interact at every level.
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Front Matter
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PART I: INTRODUCTION
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PART II: BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO POLITICS
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PART III: BIOLOGY AND THE FIELDS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
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PART IV: BIOPOLICY
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PART V: REFLECTIONS ON BIOLOGY AND POLITICS
