Nature has nothing to do with morality – Diepresse.com
In his new book, the zoologist Frank Zachos defends himself that biology is exploited. That happens too often in politics, society or television discussions. For example, when « actually intelligent people » claim that there is something like that a « gay gene » or a « Jewen gene ».
« />
In the Natural History Museum, Frank Zachos looks at our history. Clemens Fabry
« The press »: For the book « Nature knows fine degrees », you have dealt with how the biology is misused. What has changed in your everyday life?
Frank Zachos: I always sparkle my ears when I hear the terms naturally and unnatural. This can be in television discussions or elsewhere. And I am more sensitive when it comes to communicating science.
What disturbs you, after all, an employee of the Natural History Museum, on the word « of course »?
That people want to justify something that is not to be justified by biology.
For example, the alleged arguments whether homosexuality is of course or not. This leads to a « naturalistic misconception », in which it is closed. People think what is in nature, and what does not exist are bad.
But then the discussion has changed: previously argued conservatives that homosexuality was not intended for nature. Today we know that a lot of animal species show same -sex sexual behavior.
The argument is missed from the outset. Because in nature the following applies: What is. There is no justification for it to find it for good or bad. There are also studies that have been looking for genetic foundations for homosexuality. But also what they find is not a counter -argument for the claim that it would be unnatural. Already Immanuel Kant said: There is no should in nature.
In the book, however, they say that genetic foundations for homosexuality are known.
You have to be careful that a shortage does not lead to misunderstandings. There is no « gene for homosexuality ». Biology is an interaction between many genetic factors and the interaction with the environment. I have already seen abstruse discussions, of actually intelligent people who argue about genetic differences between groups of people: but there is neither a gay gene nor a Jews gene, as sometimes claimed there.
