Biology is not King

“Boys will be boys.” This common remark reflects deep notions about being male that have shaped societies and individual behaviours for centuries. I grew up accepting as truth that males are by nature more competitive and prone to be promiscuous while females are more caring and domestic. What if that is a myth?  

This is a myth-busting book. It offers a well-researched but also humourous look at the ingrained assumption that biological sex and hormones are a determining force in our lives. As well as questioning long-held traditions, this book challenges assumptions in evolutionary biology, a popular school of thought today. Cordelia Fine, Associate Professor of History and the Philosophy of Science at the University of Melbourne, draws on neuroscience, endocrinology, psychology, philosophy, and daily life, to question common assumptions about sexuality.

The scientific evidence that biology is not inevitability is substantive. Although some of her peers question the weight she gives some research studies, there is broad agreement on her findings. Fine does not dismiss the influence of genes and hormones. Biology, says Fine,  intersects with social conditions, personal relationships, religious teachings, culture, and other factors in complex ways. Her point is that it is simplistic to blame outcomes from rapes to wage gaps on genes and hormones.

The implications are profound, also for Christians. This book is a healthy reminder to take responsibility and shape relationships intentionally, with respect for both similarities and differences across genders and between them. It means we can develop a more equal society, based on the calling to develop the full potential of everyone. Biology is not King of our lives.