Rohit Mukherjee

CMPS 5323 Consilience Article

Due: Wednesday, June 24 Before Class
Read Chapter 9 from the book Consilience by E.O.Wilson and answer the questions below. Type
answers and upload to D2L before class on Wednesday, June 24. The file format should either
be Word or rich text (.rtf).

1. What does consilience mean? You can gather from the context of the article or lookup a
definition.

The word "consilience," defined by Wilson as "the interlocking of causal explanation across
disciplines," only exhibits part of the goal. Consilience is nothing but a principle relating to
different academic topics mainly science and humanities that serves as a evidence from
independent, unrelated sources covering to strong conclusions. These conclusions are usually
very strong when none of the individual sources of evidence are very strong in their own.

2. What does Dr. Wilson refer to as the "paradox of the social sciences"?

3.

He talks about the paradox of the social science which is that they seem to be easy because
they sound so familiar, and this familiarity creates comfort and this breeds carelessness and
error. We cant examine the social sciences, as we cant examine the natural sciences by
common sense only. Mainly, social scientist havent paid attention to the foundation of
human nature, they practically ignore the origins of humanity. In general terms Dr. Wilson
referred social sciences as a hyper complex. They are more difficult than physics and
chemistry, and as a result they are not physics and chemistry, should be called the hard
sciences But in a general scenario this social sciences seem to be very easy than physics and
chemistry because it is very practical in nature which in turn makes comfortable to
communicate.

From the article: "If neither culture nor a hereditary human nature, what unites humanity?"
Why is this an important question?

This phrase "If neither culture nor a hereditary human nature, what unites humanity?" clearly
tells that cultures doesnt define human behavior. Humanity is united by Diversity and
equivalence. The importance of this question lies in opposing the inhumane qualities such as
racism and slavery.

Do you believe that there are some ethical standards that are genetically determined?

I disagree with the above statement that there are some ethical standards that determined
genetically. Though there are some genetic ethical standards exists but those are made by
cultural inhabitance.

Rohit Mukherjee

4. Carefully read page 203. Dr. Wilson points out a major difference in the way sociology is
approached from that of biological systems. What is this difference? How is this relevant to the
field of epidemiology?

5.

The main difference that differentiates the terms sociology and biology is that Biology is a
science that traces causation across many levels of organization, from brain and ecosystem
down to atom. There is no obvious reason why sociology should not have a similar
orientation, guided by a vision sweeping from society to neuron. A century after the
publication of Durkheim's manifesto The Rules of Sociological Method (1894), which helped
set the ground rules, the narrowly stratal approach of the discipline to the study of
industrialized societies remains nearly unchanged

What does Dr. Wilson state as the first step toward consilience with respect to the social sciences?

6.

The first step in the approach to consilience is to recognize that while the social sciences are
truly science, when pursued descriptively and analytically, social theory is not yet true theory.

What does Dr. Wilson suggest will allow social scientists to "succeed to the extent they traverse
broad stretches of time and space"? Do you agree? Why or why not?

7.

If social scientists choose to select rigorous theory as their ultimate goal, as have the natural
scientists, they will succeed to the extent they traverse broad stretches of time and space.
That means set their explanations with those of the natural sciences. I disagree with the fact
because working on a rigorous theory can decentralize the intellectuality and creativity of the
scientists.

In what four areas have the natural sciences bridged the gap toward the social sciences?

1.
2.
3.
4.

Places where natural and social sciences undoubtedly meet:

Cognitive neuroscience, brain sciences: psychology and conscious thought.

Human behavioral genetics
Evolutionary biology: Sociobiology: hereditary origins of social behavior.
Environmental sciences: where human species evolved and to which they adapted.

Rohit Mukherjee

8.

What is an epigenetic rule?

9.

Which discipline is stated to be the best poised to bridge the gap to the natural sciences? Why?

10.

Epigenetic rules are the rules of thumb that allow organisms to find rapid solutions to
problems encountered in the environment.

The Enterprise with in the social sciences best poised to bridge the gap to the natural
sciences, the one that most resembles them in style and self-confidence, is economics.

What is your opinion of consilience? Do you feel that it is an important topic for computer
scientists to consider, specifically those delving into the social sciences? Elaborate.

My opinion about consilience, it is very interesting topic for computer scientist who likes to
deal with social science which gives a glance of how human mind works at certain situation.
Human brains and their behaviors are studied in the field of artificial intelligence and
robotics where they Relate brain behaviors to a computer model. Though we will face more
criticism or opposition this field I think consilience could prove a benefiting factor in the
field of computer science.