Question

According to Murrary (2003, 'Human Accomplishment'), of the 4000 most accomplished people that ever lived over the 1150 years between 800 BC and 1950, only about 2% were women. In BIOL350, we considered two interpretations of this that are based on historical impact of natural selection in affecting human thinking/behavior. Distinguish these two interpretations.

A) Natural selection has no impact on gender differences in accomplishments.
B) Gender differences in accomplishments are entirely cultural.
C) Natural selection plays a role in gender differences in accomplishments.
D) Murray's findings are not relevant to discussions on natural selection.

Answer 1

Two interpretations of gender differences in historical accomplishments involve cultural factors and the role of natural selection, with Fausto-Sterling's research supporting the cultural perspective and sociobiology suggesting evolutionary predispositions for different gender roles.

Step-by-step explanation:

Interpretations of Gender Differences in Accomplishments

When examining the minimal percentage of women (about 2%) among the most accomplished people from 800 BC to 1950, as reported by Murray, we must consider two interpretations based on the historical impact of natural selection on human thinking and behavior.

The first interpretation (A and B) suggests that cultural factors and not natural selection are responsible for these gender differences in accomplishments. This perspective is supported by Anne Fausto-Sterling's findings that cognitive abilities do not differ significantly between males and females and that any small differences observed are likely socially constructed rather than biologically determined.

The second interpretation (C) acknowledges the potential role of natural selection in creating differential gender roles, as posited by sociobiology. This evolutionary perspective suggests that men and women may have evolved predispositions for different tasks, which could lead to disparities in accomplishments recognized in historical records.

D (Murray's findings are not relevant) is not an interpretation based on historical impact of natural selection, but rather a skeptical view on the relevance of the data for discussions on natural selection.