Biological and social traits of a person table. Biological factors in personality formation

1. The concepts of “person”, “individual”, “personality”, “individuality”

The word “personality” in English comes from the word “person”. It originally referred to the masks worn by actors during theatrical performances in ancient Greek drama. Thus, from the very beginning, the concept of “personality” included an external, superficial social image that a person takes when he plays certain life roles - a kind of “mask”, a public face addressed to others. It follows that the concept of “personality” is primarily associated with the social essence of a person.

The word “personality” is widely used in everyday communication along with the concepts “person”, “individual”, “individuality”, which, however, are not identical. It is necessary to differentiate between them in order to define the concept of “personality”.

Definition. Human — this is a socio-biological being that embodies the highest level in the evolution of life and is the subject of socio-historical activity and communication.

The concept of “man” is used as an extremely general concept to characterize the universal qualities and abilities inherent in all people.

Using this concept, psychologists emphasize that a person is a biological and social being at the same time, which through its life activities influences the environment.

Basic characteristics of a person:

special structure of the body;

ability to work;

presence of consciousness.

A person as an individual representative of humanity is defined by the concept of “individual”.

Definition. Individual - a single representative of the human race, a specific bearer of all psychophysical and social traits of humanity.

General characteristics of the individual:

integrity of the psychophysical organization of the body;

stability in relation to the surrounding reality;

activity.

Otherwise, we can say that an individual is a “specific person” from birth to death. The individual is the initial state of a person in phylogenetic and ontogenetic development.

Personality is considered as the result of the development of the individual, the embodiment of human qualities. Personality is the social essence of a person.

Definition. Personality — this is a specific person who is the bearer of consciousness, capable of cognition, experiences, transformation of the surrounding world and building certain relationships with this world and with the world of other individuals.

Personality is considered as the embodiment in a particular person of social qualities that are acquired in the process of activity and communication with other individuals. One is not born a person, one becomes a person.

It is more difficult to define the concept of “individuality”, because, in addition to personal characteristics, which are the main components of individuality, it includes biological, physiological and other characteristics of a person. The following definition of individuality can be given.

Definition. Individuality — This is a specific person who differs from other people in a unique combination of mental, physiological and social characteristics, manifested in behavior, activity and communication.

The concept of “individuality” most often emphasizes the originality and uniqueness of each person. On the other hand, in individuality we encounter those personality qualities and individual properties that everyone has, but have varying degrees of expression and form combinations. All individual qualities are manifested in various ways of behavior, activity, and communication.

Instincts, the desire to drink and eat, the need for a home, shelter, clothing

One of the main problems that immediately confronted scientists was the identification of the line of primates that gave rise to hominids. Throughout the 19th century. Several hypotheses have been put forward in this regard. Hominids have a number of differences at the anatomical and biomolecular level that allow them to be given a special place among primates. Some of these differences are primary, while others are secondary, i.e. arose as an adaptation to the conditions created as a result of the appearance of primary differences. Locomotion on two legs. Walking upright is the most important sign of a person. The rest of the primates, with a few exceptions, live primarily in trees and are quadrupeds, or, as they sometimes say, “four-armed.” The vertical position of the human body, of course, turned out to be associated with many secondary adaptive changes. These include changes in the proportions of the arms and legs, modifications to the foot, sacroiliac joint and spinal curves, and the connection of the head to the spinal column. Brain enlargement. The next primary difference that puts humans in a special position in relation to other primates is their extremely enlarged brain.

Compared, for example, to the average size of a chimpanzee's brain, the modern human brain is three times larger; even in Homo habilis, the first of the hominids, it was twice as large as in chimpanzees. However, size is not the only feature of the human brain: its various areas have undergone specialized development, the number of nerve cells has increased and their arrangement has changed. These, as well as some other modifications, endowed the human brain with its increased capabilities. Unfortunately, fossil skulls do not provide sufficient comparative material to evaluate many of these structural changes. Unlike other traits noted above as adaptive to upright posture, brain enlargement does not have a direct connection with it, although an indirect relationship between upright posture and brain development is quite likely. Structure of teeth. The third of the basic changes concerns the structure of teeth and their use. The transformations that have occurred are usually associated with changes in the way ancient humans fed. If their cause can still be discussed, then the nature of the changes is firmly established. These include: reduction in the volume and length of the fangs; closure of the diastema, i.e. the gap that includes the protruding canines in primates; changes in the shape, inclination and chewing surface of different teeth; development of a parabolic dental arch, in which the anterior section has a rounded shape and the lateral sections expand outward, in contrast to the U-shaped dental arch of monkeys. During the evolution of hominids, brain enlargement, changes in cranial joints and transformation of teeth were accompanied by significant changes in the structure of various elements of the skull and face, and their proportions. Differences at the biomolecular level. The use of molecular biological methods has made it possible to take a new approach to determining both the time of the appearance of hominids and their relationships with other primate families. The results are not yet indisputable.

The methods used include the following: immunological analysis, i.e. comparison of the immune response of different species of primates to the introduction of the same protein (albumin) - the more similar the reaction, the closer the relationship; DNA hybridization, which allows one to assess the closeness of relationship by the degree of matching of paired bases in double strands formed by DNA strands taken from different species; electrophoretic analysis, in which the degree of similarity of proteins of different animal species and, therefore, the proximity of these species is assessed by the mobility of the isolated proteins in an electric field; protein sequencing, namely the comparison of the amino acid sequences of a protein, for example hemoglobin, in different animal species, which makes it possible to determine the number of changes in the coding DNA responsible for the identified differences in the structure of a given protein, and, moreover, to calculate over what time such changes could happen

Lecture 3.

Man and humanity as a system. Human needs

Biological and social foundations of man.

Human needs: biological, psychological, social, ethnic, labor, economic. Greening needs. Concept of progress. Illusions of progress. The quality of life.

Biological and social foundations of man

Man is a biosocial structure that cannot be reduced to either the biological or the social. As a biological being, man is one of the species of mammals belonging to order of primates . In the late Miocene (11–12 million years ago), an anthropoid line separated, consisting of two genera Australiopithecus and Homo (V. Grant). The genus Homo is only the last link in that branch of the evolution of higher primates, which in its totality constitutes hominid family , which includes both fossil humans (Pithecanthropus, Sinanthropus, Neanderthal) and modern humans.

The specificity of the human genetic program is such that under the same conditions different individuals are born, the personality and form of social behavior of which is based on the work of many genes. This gene pool is considered as the total genetic material of a certain ethnic group. The history of the emergence of man and human society has long been studied by biologists, anthropologists (anthropology is the science of variability within genera, species and specific characteristics of the hominid family), social scientists and sociologists, but so far there is no consensus on the time of origin of man or his ancestors.

Some biologists believe that humans have not changed biologically over the past 40 thousand years, that genetically humanity has been homogeneous throughout this entire period, since selection factors do not operate in human populations. The basis for this is the morphophysiological similarity of modern people with their ancestors who lived 40 thousand years ago. Genetic research of modern human races (Negroid, Mongoloid, European, Australoid and American) indicates the unity and homogeneity of humanity, since 97% of their genes are identical.

Another statement is that throughout the entire existence of man, racial and adaptive differentiation has been going on; the evolution of living material has not ended with the appearance of man and it will not stop there. There is an assumption that a new species of people is now being formed - the New Man (Homo innovatus).

In the course of evolution, man as a biological being was doomed to extinction, since his instincts were poorly developed, he was not sufficiently rooted in nature, but had some tenacity due to the presence of reason and the ability to learn and work. The constant strategy of human life was independence from the environment, which was dictated by the animal’s desire for self-preservation. Cultural evolution helped man in this.

The uniqueness of man lies in his ability to overcome his own species limitations. Knowledge, experience, and their transfer from generation to generation have become one of the decisive factors in the social environment of Homo sapiens in the struggle for existence. Thus, man is a biosocial being, combining elements of the natural and social. In different cases, one or the other comes to the fore.

V. Grant (1991) believes that the decisive difference between humans and animals is culture. Man is a creature endowed with culture (not a single animal has created its own “second” nature). According to the definition of the famous philosopher I.T. Frolov, a person is a subject of the socio-historical process, the development of material and spiritual culture on Earth, a biosocial being, genetically related to other forms of life, but separated from them due to the ability to produce tools, possessing articulate speech and consciousness, creative activity and moral self-awareness.

V.I. Vernadsky considered man as an integral part of the living matter of the Earth of a certain evolutionary type, inextricably linked in its development and existence with the entire biosphere of our planet. At the same time, a person is a personality, that is, an element of certain social structures. Only he, man, has the ability to influence the nature around him with energy categories inaccessible to any other living beings.

Humanity is a collection of people, a complex, hierarchically structured system. The unification of a person into social groups proceeds hierarchically up to humanity as a whole. The complex multi-level system of humanity is reflected in Table 3.1.

N.F. Reimers names the following characteristics of humans and human groups:

— a person has a number of anatomical and physiological characteristics of an adaptive nature, which determines the degree of influence of the natural environment on his body (for example, it is impossible to mechanically swap blacks and Eskimos as populations);

— the ethological and behavioral variations of a person are quite noticeable: the type of southerners differs from the type of northerners;

- the ethnic specificity of people has developed historically and evolutionarily - for example, the Scandinavian ethnos differs from the German or Great British, and even more so from the Mongolian;

- there are differences in such social groups of people, such as workers, peasants, businessmen, intellectuals, etc., although they may be temporary;

- different social groups differ in life goals, etc.

All these components play an important role in modern man, although historically they did not arise simultaneously - there was a gradual complication of the social world. The most ancient was the anatomical and physiological structure, which was then supplemented by ethological and behavioral characteristics. The diversity of forms of labor went in parallel with the formation of races, which led to the formation of ethnic groupings with different systems of relationships between “man and nature.” At the same time, primary social structures and mechanisms arose. Economic aspirations emerged later.

Thus, one of the characteristics of humans and humanity is their diversity - as we know, no two people are genetically identical and have the same personalities. But at the same time, there are collections of people of the same type. This makes it possible to identify patterns and consider man and humanity as an inexhaustible system, not reducible to a certain number of individuals, which is amenable to specific analysis. Among the patterns of existence of human society, one can highlight the presence of a number needs, needs which determine the nature of behavior, the direction of thinking, feelings and will of a person, etc.

Table 3.1. Model-matrix of humanity as a multi-level

system totality (according to N.F. Reimers)

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Characteristic signs of a person

Early stages of evolution neg. Primates

Approximately 40-60 million.

years ago, two more families appeared - Lemurs (Strepsirrhines) and Tarsiers (Gaplorhinidae). Lemurs lead an arboreal lifestyle; size - about the size of a cat, long tail, elongated muzzle with eyes facing forward and to the side; well-developed sense of smell; characterized by nocturnal activity; live in the tropical forests of Madagascar and South Africa and South Asia.

Already in the early stages of primate evolution, three main trends can be distinguished:

enlargement of the brain

· shortening of the muzzle

· active adaptation of the forelimbs for grasping movements and subsequent replacement of claws with nails.

Approximately 38 million liters. the line of Gaplorine monkeys separates back, which is possibly associated with the transition to daily activity and, as a consequence: strengthening the role of vision, improving the structure of the brain, developing gregariousness and social forms of behavior.

Broad-nosed and narrow-nosed monkeys diverged approximately 35 million years ago. At this time, the Americas separated from Eurasia and Africa.

The lower narrow-nosed and Hominoids diverged approximately 23 million years ago. Perhaps the Hominoids continued to more actively adapt to a terrestrial lifestyle. There is a further enlargement of body size (gorillas - up to 180 cm and 200 kg). The body is short, the limbs are long. They move on the ground, leaning on their forelimbs. In addition, they have more complex behavior and further enlargement of the brain occurs.

Hominids separated from other hominoids around 6 million years ago.

All paleontological finds of early hominids are found on the African continent.

Characteristic signs of a person.

One of the main problems that immediately confronted scientists was the identification of the line of primates that gave rise to hominids.

Hominids have a number of differences at the anatomical and biomolecular level that allow them to be given a special place among primates. Some of these differences are primary, while others are secondary, i.e. arose as an adaptation to the conditions created as a result of the appearance of primary differences.

Locomotion on two legs. Upright walking is the most important sign of a person. The rest of the primates, with a few exceptions, live primarily in trees and are quadrupeds, or, as they sometimes say, “four-armed.” Although some apes, such as baboons, have adapted to a terrestrial existence, they nevertheless move on all fours. And apes, particularly gorillas, which primarily live on land, walk in a characteristic partially straightened position, often leaning on their hands.

The vertical position of the human body, of course, turned out to be associated with many secondary adaptive changes. These include:

changes in the proportions of the arms and legs,
foot modification,
sacroiliac joint and spinal curves,
connection of the head with the spinal column.

Brain enlargement. The next primary difference that puts humans in a special position in relation to other primates is their extremely enlarged brain. Compared, for example, to the average size of a chimpanzee's brain, the modern human brain is three times larger; even Homo habilis, the first of the hominids, it was twice as large as that of chimpanzees. Unlike other traits noted above as adaptive to upright posture, brain enlargement does not have a direct connection with it, although an indirect relationship between upright posture and brain development is quite likely.

Structure of teeth. The third of the basic changes concerns the structure of teeth and their use. The transformations that have occurred are usually associated with changes in the way ancient humans fed. If their cause can still be discussed, then the nature of the changes is firmly established. These include:

reduction in the volume and length of fangs;
closure of the diastema, i.e. the gap that includes the protruding canines in primates;
changes in the shape, inclination and chewing surface of different teeth;
development of a parabolic dental arch, in which the anterior section has a rounded shape, and the lateral sections expand outward, in contrast to the U-shaped dental arch of monkeys.

During the evolution of hominids, brain enlargement, changes in cranial joints and transformation of teeth were accompanied by significant changes in the structure of various elements of the skull and face and their proportions.

Differences at the biomolecular level. The use of molecular biological methods has made it possible to take a new approach to determining both the time of the appearance of hominids and their relationships with other primate families. The results are not yet indisputable. The methods used include the following: immunological analysis, i.e. comparison of the immune response of different species of primates to the introduction of the same protein (albumin) - the more similar the reaction, the closer the relationship; DNA hybridization, which allows one to assess the closeness of relationship by the degree of matching of paired bases in double strands formed by DNA strands taken from different species; electrophoretic analysis, in which the degree of similarity of proteins of different animal species and, therefore, the proximity of these species is assessed by the mobility of the isolated proteins in an electric field; protein sequencing, namely the comparison of the amino acid sequences of a protein, for example hemoglobin, in different animal species, which makes it possible to determine the number of changes in the coding DNA responsible for the identified differences in the structure of a given protein, and, moreover, to calculate over what time such changes could occur, and thereby assess the degree of relatedness of the species being compared and how long ago they separated.

These methods have shown the very close relationship and, therefore, relatively recent separation in the course of evolution of such species as gorilla, chimpanzee and man. For example, one protein sequencing study found that the differences in DNA structure between chimpanzees and humans were only 1%.

A1 The concept that characterizes a person as a separate, individual being and determines his belonging to the human race is called

1) organism 3) personality

2) object 4) individual

A2 A personality for which the predominant feature is focus on one’s inner world is called

1) extrovert 3) conformist

2) introvert 4) nonconformist

A3 Motive is

1) a relatively stable system of ideas about oneself

2) then. why does a person perform certain actions?

3) the implementation of a person’s relationships with other people and with himself

4) actually achieved result

A4 The materialist approach to history was based on the fact that:

1. society is a living organism

2. society is the simple sum of the people living in it

3. the integrity and unity of society is manifested in spiritual life

4. the real material life of people determines their consciousness

A5 The stage approach of the American sociologist W. Rostow characterizes the “period of shift” in the history of mankind as a stage

1. predominance of the agricultural sector in the economy

2. the beginning of industrialization and the industrial revolution

3. emergence of highly developed/economically countries

4. High level of mass consumption

A6. The elements of spiritual culture include

1) rules of conduct 3) means of transportation

2) household items 4) military equipment

A7 The function of historical continuity of culture is manifested in

1) value needs and guidelines of a person

2) exchange of cultural achievements between people and communities

3) the possibility of human adaptation to various natural conditions

4) accumulation, storage and transmission of information

A8 In the social structure of society, socio-ethnic communities are distinguished

1. gender and age groups

2. disabled population

3. tribal associations

4. working population

A9 French sociologist P. Bourdieu. characterizing the social status of people, he singled out

1. ways of obtaining and sharing the social wealth of the class

2. class privileges, responsibilities, social wealth and power

3. natural causes of inequality in society

4. economic and three types of social capital

A10 A typical distortion in the perception of conflict includes “double ethics”, this

1) see the shortcomings of their opponents, but not their own

2) evaluate their own and their opponent’s actions differently

3) it seems that the truth is completely on your side

4) an unambiguous negative assessment of the opponent’s intentions is given

A11. By the nature of motivation, alternative amateur activities of youth groups

1) complies with generally accepted standards of behavior

3) based on dubious values

4) manifests itself in actions that do not comply with generally accepted norms

A12 Imperative communication as a directive form of influence on a person is typical for

1) statutory relations between military personnel

2) relationships between close friends

3) communication via telephone or Internet

A13. Dignity is a moral attitude towards oneself that

1. comes from the recognition of the value of each individual as a moral person

2. implies obligatory concern for people

3. involves monologue communication with other people

4. provides objective self-assessment

A14 Indicate the correct statement

1) a person’s motives and actions always correspond to each other from the point of view of their moral basis

2) any offense must be considered in conjunction with its motives and consequences

3) external assessment of an action must always coincide with internal

4) the defining moment of a person’s moral behavior is being demanding of oneself

A 15 World religions include

1) Christianity, Islam, Hinduism

2) Buddhism, Christianity, Islam

3) Islam Confucianism. Christianity

4) Buddhism Judaism Christianity

A16. The specificity of ancient science was

1) obtaining a systemic objective. empirically confirmed knowledge of reality

2) applying in practice precise intentions and mathematical methods

3) use of scientific achievements in everyday life

4)rare use of the results of scientific knowledge in practice

A17. The aesthetic sphere characterizing the aesthetics of everyday life includes

1) create tools 3) decorate your home and clothes

2) gardening art 4) making household utensils

A 18 The peculiarity of medieval philosophical thought was

1) substantiating the capabilities of people to comprehend the truth

2) distrust of reason and revaluation of all values

3) independent search for truth

4) interpretation of truths revealed to people by God

A19. The process of creating a useful product is called

1) production 3) consumption

2) Distribution 4) exchange

A20. A security that secures the right of its owner to receive a specified amount of money within a specified period is called

1) will 3) bond

2) promotion 4) cash receipt

A21. Money, which is used as an intermediary for payment for goods and services, performs the function

1) means of payment

2) means of circulation

3) means of accumulation

4) measures of value

A22 Market, performing a selective function

1) regulates the volume and structure of production

2)does not allow long-term shortages or overproduction of goods

3) helps reduce the cost of production of goods

4) rids social production of economically weak participants in commodity-money relations

A23. Direct government regulation of the economy is carried out through

1) tax system

2)credit and financial system

3)financing of scientific research

4) activities of the regulatory legal framework

A24 Supply and demand are the most powerful economic levers that will put everything in its place, the American economist believed

1) Even Keynes 3) T Veblen

2) P Szmuelison 4) M Friedman

A25 According to the State scheme of integrated territorial organization of Reslu6li” and Belarus, the urbanized regions of the country are characterized by

1) high concentration of production and labor

2) a unique opportunity for tourism and sanatorium treatment

3) accelerated development of the livestock feed supply

4) the leading role of production and processing of agricultural products

A26 A form of mass activity of citizens, which is distinguished by a certain social base and poor organization, is called

1) reference group

2) political party

3) significant movement

4) public association

A27 Positive legal theory views human rights as:

1) granted to him by the state

2) conquered in the struggle for power

3) earned by labor activity

4) natural, inalienable, independent of the state

A 28 The form of government of a state is

1) a set of political institutions and organizations

2) ensuring order and security in the state

3) administrative-territorial structure of the state

4) the structure of the highest bodies of state power, the order of their organization and functioning

A29 One of the features of a democratic political system

1) a certain period of validity of the powers of officials

2) equality of all citizens before the law and the court

3) exercise of state power in accordance with the will of a minority of the population

4) the presence in society of parties and movements that express the interests of various groups of the population

ASO Vienna System of International Relations

1) was characterized by the confrontation between capitalist and socialist

2) was characterized by ignoring the interests of the defeated and newly formed countries after the First World War

3) was based on the idea of a nation state and the principle of state sovereignty

4) developed after the Napoleonic wars and was based on the idea of a balance of power between the great European powers

A32. The function of law aimed at protecting political, economic and other relations provided for by law, suppressing actions hostile to the social order, is called

1) communicative 3) protective

2) regulatory 4) educational

Part in

IN 1 The type of temperament of a person who is energetic, active, sociable, with sudden changes in mood, which I P Pavlov called “the combative, perky, easily irritated type” is called _____

AT 2 The way to resolve differences in a conflict through mutual concession is a strategy________

AT 3 The strategy __________ for the development of regions of the Republic of Belarus received the name “Local Blows* XXI”

AT 4 The division of people in society into groups occupying different social positions is called social __________

AT 5 The political system, determining the strategic directions of social development, performs the function of __________

AT 6 A rule of behavior sanctioned by the state, which has developed historically and has become entrenched in people’s behavior as a stable form,

called legal _________

Q7 Specify two features , characterizing the slave system as an economic system of society

1) Private ownership of the means of production

2) public ownership of the means of production

3) personal dependence of peasants on land owners

4) use of hired workers in production

5) complete dependence of the working person on the owner of the means of production

AT 8. In accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, please indicate two positions, which characterize the electoral system of the Republic of Belarus

1)Elections deputies are direct

2) participation in the electoral process is mandatory for citizens

3) the entire population of the country takes part in elections

Q9 Please indicate two differences I am morally right

2) stated in writing

3) develop normative and value guidelines for society

4) reinforce the most effective forms of social behavior

5) arise with the advent of the state

A1 The concept that characterizes a person as a separate, individual being and determines his belonging to the human race is called

1) organism 3) personality

2) object 4) individual

Changes in the biological characteristics of the human body in the process of evolution.

The guiding influence of the social leads to the fact that human biological qualities continue to develop and achieve greater perfection than those of animals. In this sense, they say that man is “the most living of all living beings.” Human biology is the most developed and perfect biology. This is expressed in the fact that man is biologically adapted to occupy any ecological niche, any habitat - even outer space. In addition, humans have the greatest physical activity in the animal kingdom. There are calculations according to which a person spends 6 times more energy per 1 kg of live weight during his life than the most active predators. Social activity leads to increased biological activity of the body (humans move more than animals). Hegel was right: “... Practical culture consists precisely in habit and the need for occupation.”

In the course of historical development, the social demand for the biological characteristics of the human body changes. Since the emergence of modern man, the Cro-Magnon type, the physical organization and mental abilities of people have changed very little. However, in the process of education and upbringing, different types of personality can be created on the basis of the same biological organism. At the same time, in different historical eras, completely different biological traits and human inclinations are in demand. Thus, in the era of primitive physical labor, physical strength is valued, and in the era of computers, intellectual and creative abilities are valued. (One of the most prominent people of our time, the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, jokes about this that, living in more ancient times, he would hardly have achieved noticeable success in life and most likely would have simply become prey to some some Animals). All these examples show that the social principle of man, although it depends on the biological principle that is inferior to it, still directs the development of the latter and determines the content of the historical process. This means that human nature is holistic, social, and the social form of matter in a dialectically sublated, subordinate form contains its biological, chemical and physical foundations.

The mechanism of interaction between society and its natural basis is most accurately described by the concept of the integral social nature of man.

The concept of the dual, socio-biological nature of man usually proceeds from the fact that in the history of society there is a struggle between the biological and social principles. They say, for example, that a person becomes more and more “humanized”, culture displaces the beast from him, etc. Thus, in the process of social development, the role of biological processes decreases, and the role of social processes increases proportionally. The importance of the biological basis of the human body is decreasing and narrowing. Man is becoming more and more social and less biological.

Based on this approach, they say, for example, that the school should give students more knowledge, develop intelligence, prepare a person for social adaptation in the real world that begins beyond the threshold of the school, etc. At the same time, the biological principle in a person is either ignored, or is considered insignificant. Thus, it is believed that it is quite simple to limit sexual desire, the need for food is satisfied quite easily, and a person should satisfy the need for physical activity as best he can on his own (do gymnastics, etc.). The ineffectiveness of this approach is clearly demonstrated even by official Russian statistics. Average life expectancy in Russia is much lower than in the G7 countries; the vast majority of schoolchildren develop serious health problems from childhood, and drug addiction and alcoholism are common. These phenomena have many economic and political reasons, but it is logical to ask the question: isn’t one of these reasons that the activities of society are based on an incorrect, simplified understanding of the interaction of the social and the biological?

From the point of view of the concept of the holistic, integral nature of man, the biological is the basis of social processes, which in the course of the development of society does not weaken, but, on the contrary, strengthens along with the strengthening of the social itself. The social does not “displace” a certain “animal principle” from a person, but develops only together with this biological principle included in it.

Strengthening, and not weakening, the biological foundations of society is a necessary condition for the successful development of purely social qualities and abilities of a person.

This pattern, insufficiently understood by modern society, is reliably confirmed by a number of studies conducted over the past decades. Thus, the poor health of schoolchildren throughout the Russian Federation is clearly associated with a lack of physical activity. According to studies conducted back in the 70-80s. XX century in several republics of the USSR, schoolchildren and students spend an average of 4 hours a week on sports. Meanwhile, the minimum required by doctors to maintain a normal state of health is 12 hours for schoolchildren and 10 hours for students. “Summarizing the data of studies conducted in Ukraine, as well as in other republics, including Estonia, it can be argued that no more than 10% of workers and schoolchildren receive the minimum norm of physical activity”: With the increase in mental stress occurring in modern society physical activity should not weaken, but, on the contrary, increase in order to compensate and balance the stress on the psyche. Therefore, for example, the old Soviet practice, when schoolchildren who received bad grades were not allowed to attend sports sections, should be considered illiterate. It is characteristic that the highest percentage of people involved in physical education and sports in adulthood in the mentioned study was; discovered among scientists of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, i.e. those who are actively and successfully engaged in intellectual activity. Increased physical activity only helps them.

Another important feature of human biology is its universality. It manifests itself, in particular, in the fact that the constant performance of monotonous, monotonous physical movements is incompatible with human biology and disfigures his body. Thus, workers in monotonous and stressful assembly line production are much more likely than anyone else to have problems with physical and mental health. (Therefore, attempts are being made in Western countries to develop alternative technologies to conveyor belts). Athletes who intensely engage in only one sport quickly reach a dead end: their results stop growing. The only way out that is used in such cases is to switch to other types. Only simultaneous training in different sports disciplines makes it possible to achieve positive changes in the main sport in which a person competes. The human body, unlike the animal body, does not tolerate narrow specialization in physical activity. If it occurs during labor, compensation is required in the form of sports, tourism, and physical education. If society does not create conditions for such activity, other types of compensation for muscular and nervous tension, destructive to the body, naturally come into fashion - with the help of antisocial (criminal) behavior, alcohol and drugs.

We live in the era of the formation of a post-industrial society, when crisis processes are unfolding in many areas of human activity (ecological crisis, crisis of confidence, family crisis, etc.). Experts say there is reason to talk about the condition socio-biological crisis, in which modern civilization is located. During the formation of human society, the biological organization of man gradually adapted to work. Under its influence, the hand changed, upright walking arose, the brain developed, the nervous system and sensory organs improved. The formation of industrial and post-industrial civilization, especially the emergence of computer work, entailed a qualitative change in physical stress on the body. However, biological adaptive mechanisms work much more slowly than modern technology develops and lifestyle changes. Technical innovations are introduced under the influence of the economic and political interests of individuals and social groups. At the same time, no one at first thinks about how well they correspond to the biological capabilities of the body. A more or less strong mismatch inevitably arises between these possibilities and new technology, technological processes, and the new rhythm of life. Probably the most striking example of such discrepancies is the development of atomic energy. It turned out that the body’s capabilities generally exclude working with radioactive materials based on old industrial technologies: uranium rods, for example, cannot be carried in hands, sharpened with a file, etc. - this is incompatible with life.

Working on a computer, powerful sound-reproducing equipment, new chemicals synthesized by man, the mode of work and rest imposed by modern society, and many other factors of the “second nature” surrounding us have a complex, incompletely studied destructive effect on the body. In a word, the conclusion is obvious: special efforts by society are needed to harmonize the new realities of social life and the biological capabilities of the human body. This contradiction cannot be resolved by itself.

Functions of service activities in overcoming disharmony between social processes and biological characteristics of a person.

Service activities perform very important functions in overcoming disharmony between social processes and biological characteristics of a person. Firstly, it can be predicted with a high degree of probability that in the foreseeable historical future there will be and intensify the need for various types of recreational activities, that is, for the restoration of a person’s physical and mental strength under conditions of heavy stress on the body. This activity, in one form or another, is present in many types of services - in social and medical services, in education, in hotel and tourist services, in the use and maintenance of the equipment and equipment necessary for them. Secondly, new types of needs, methods of satisfying them and services associated with changes in the biological conditions of human existence may arise. New needs for satisfying the biological needs of the body - which always occurs in one or another socially developed form - can create areas of application for new directions and technologies of service activities.

Thus, the relationship between biological and social factors in the development of man and society does not remain unchanged. It evolves along with the entire social system. Tracking the changes that occur in this case is one of the conditions for the effective functioning of the service system.

"Human"- a general concept denoting belonging to the human race, the nature of which, as noted above, combines biological and social qualities. In other words, a person appears in this essence as biosocial being.

Modern man from birth represents a biosocial unity. It is worth noting that he will be born with incompletely formed anatomical and physiological qualities, which further develop during his life in society. With all this, heredity supplies the child not only with purely biological qualities and instincts. It is worth noting that he initially turns out to be the owner of strictly human qualities: a developed ability to imitate adults, curiosity, the ability to be upset and happy. His smile (“privilege” of a person) has an innate character. But it is society that brings a person completely into this world, which fills his behavior with social content.

Consciousness will not be our natural heritage, although nature creates the physiological basis for consciousness. Conscious mental phenomena are formed throughout life as a result of upbringing, training, and active mastery of language and culture. It is to society that man owes such qualities as transformative instrumental activity, communication through speech, and the ability for spiritual creativity.

The acquisition of social qualities by a person occurs in the process socialization: what is inherent in a particular person is the result of an assessment of the cultural values that exist in a particular society. It is important to note that at the same time it is also an expression, the embodiment of the internal capabilities of the individual.

Natural and social interaction between man and society contradictory. Man is a subject of social life; he realizes himself only in society. At the same time, it will also be a product of the environment, reflecting the features of the development of biological and social aspects of social life. Achieving biological and social harmony society and man at every historical stage acts as an ideal, the desire for which contributes to the development of both society and man.

Society and man are inseparable from each other both biologically and socially. Society is what the people who form it are; it acts as an expression, design, and consolidation of the inner essence of a person, his way of life. The material was published on http://site
Man emerged from nature, but exists as a man only thanks to society, is formed in it and shapes it by its activity.

Society determines the conditions for not only social, but also biological improvement of man. That is why the focus of society should be on ensuring the health of people from birth to old age. A person’s biological health allows him to actively participate in the life of society, realize his creative potential, create a full-fledged family, raise and educate children. With all this, a person deprived of the necessary social conditions for life loses his “biological form”, deteriorates not only morally, but also physically, which can be the cause of antisocial behavior and crimes.

In society, a person realizes this nature, but he himself is forced to submit to the requirements and restrictions of society, to be responsible to it. After all, society is all people, including every person, and by submitting to society, he affirms in himself the demands of his own essence. By speaking out against society, a person not only undermines the foundations of general well-being, but also deforms his own nature, disrupts the harmony of biological and social principles in himself.

Biological and social factors

What allowed man to stand out from the animal world? The main factors of anthropogenesis can be divided as follows:

biological factors- upright posture, hand development, large and developed brain, ability for articulate speech;

main social factors— labor and collective activity, thinking, language and communication, morality.

Work of the factors listed above played a leading role in the process of human development; His example will illustrate the relationship between other biological and social factors. Thus, upright walking freed up the hands for using and making tools, and the structure of the hand (spaced thumb, flexibility) made it possible to effectively use these tools. In the process of joint work, close relationships developed between members of the team, which led to the establishment of group interaction, care for members of the tribe (morality), and the need for communication (the appearance of speech). Language contributed to the development of thinking, expressing increasingly complex concepts; the development of thinking, in turn, enriched the language with new words. Language also made it possible to pass on experience from generation to generation, preserving and increasing the knowledge of mankind.

Based on all of the above, we come to the conclusion that modern man is a product of the interaction of biological and social factors.

Under him biological features understand what brings man together with animals (with the exception of the factors of anthropogenesis, which were the basis for separating man from the kingdom of nature) - hereditary characteristics; the presence of instincts (self-preservation, sexual, etc.); emotions; biological needs (breathe, eat, sleep, etc.); similar physiological characteristics to other mammals (presence of the same internal organs, hormones, constant body temperature); the ability to use natural objects; adaptation to the environment, procreation.

Social Features characteristic exclusively of humans - the ability to produce tools; articulate speech; language; social needs (communication, affection, friendship, love); spiritual needs (morality, religion, art); awareness of their needs; activity (labor, artistic, etc.) as the ability to transform the world; consciousness; ability to think; creation; creation; goal setting.

A person cannot be focused solely on social qualities, since biological prerequisites are necessary for his development. But it cannot be reduced to biological characteristics, since one can only become a person in society. Biological and social are inseparably fused in a person, which makes him special biosocial being.

Biological and social in man and their unity

Ideas about the unity of the biological and social in the development of man were not formed immediately.

Without delving into distant antiquity, let us recall that during the Enlightenment, many thinkers, differentiating the natural and the social, considered the latter as “artificially” created by man, including almost all the attributes of social life - spiritual needs, social institutions, morality, traditions and customs. It was during this period that concepts such as "natural law", "natural equality", "natural morality".

The natural, or natural, was considered as the foundation, the basis for the correctness of the social order. There is no need to emphasize that the social played a secondary role and was directly dependent on the natural environment. In the second half of the 19th century. Various theories of social Darwinism, the essence of which lies in attempts to extend to public life principles of natural selection and the struggle for existence in living nature, formulated by the English naturalist Charles Darwin. The emergence of society and its development were considered only within the framework of evolutionary changes occurring independently of the will of people. Naturally, everything that happens in society, incl. social inequality, strict laws of social struggle, were considered by them as necessary and useful both for society as a whole and for its individuals.

In the 20th century attempts to biologize “explain” the essence of man and his social qualities do not stop. As an example, we can cite the phenomenology of man by the famous French thinker and naturalist, by the way, the clergyman P. Note that Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) According to Teilhard, man embodies and concentrates in himself the entire development of the world. Nature, in the process of its historical development, receives its meaning in man. In him, she reaches, as it were, her highest biological development, and at the same time he acts as the ϲʙᴏunique beginning of her conscious, and, consequently, social development.

Today, science has established an opinion about the biosocial nature of man. In this case, the social is not only not belittled, but its decisive role in separating Homo sapiens from the animal world and its transformation into a social being is noted. Now hardly anyone dares to deny biological prerequisites for the emergence of man. Even without turning to scientific evidence, but guided by the simplest observations and generalizations, it is not difficult to discover the enormous dependence of man on natural changes - magnetic storms in the atmosphere, solar activity, earthly elements and disasters.

In the formation and existence of man, and this has already been said earlier, a huge role belongs to social factors, such as labor, relationships between people, their political and social institutions. None of them by itself, separately, could have led to the emergence of man, his separation from the animal world.

It is worth saying that each person is unique and is also predetermined by his nature, in particular, by the unique set of genes inherited from his parents. It must also be said that the physical differences that exist between people are primarily predetermined by biological differences. These are, first of all, differences between the two sexes - men and women, which can be considered among the most significant differences between people. There are other physical differences - skin color, eyes, body structure, which are mainly due to geographical and climatic factors. It is these factors, as well as the unequal conditions of historical development and the educational system, that largely explain the differences in everyday life, psychology, and social status of the peoples of different countries. And yet, despite these rather fundamental differences in biology, physiology and mental potential, the people of our planet are generally equal. The achievements of modern science convincingly demonstrate that there is no reason to claim the superiority of any race over another.

Social in man- first of all, instrumental production activity, collectivist forms of life with the division of responsibilities between individuals, language, thinking, social and political activity. It is known that Homo sapiens as a person and an individual cannot exist outside of human communities. It is appropriate to note that cases have been described in which small children, for various reasons, came under the care of animals, were “raised” by them, and when, after several years in the animal world, they returned to people, they needed years to adapt to the new social environment. Finally, it is impossible to imagine a person’s social life without his social and political activity. Strictly speaking, as noted earlier, a person’s life itself will be social, since he constantly interacts with people - at home, at work, during leisure time. How do the biological and the social relate when determining the essence and nature of a person? Modern science unambiguously answers ϶ᴛᴏ - only in unity. Indeed, without biological prerequisites it would be difficult to imagine the emergence of hominids, but without social conditions the emergence of man was impossible. It is no longer a secret that pollution of the environment and human habitat poses a threat to the biological existence of Homo sapiens. To summarize, we can say that now, like many millions of years ago, the physical state of a person, his existence, to a determining extent, depend on the state of nature. In general, it can be argued that now, as with the emergence of Homo sapiens, its existence is ensured by the unity of the biological and social.

" is a general concept denoting belonging to the human race, the nature of which, as noted above, combines biological and social qualities. In other words, a person appears in his essence as biosocial being.

Modern man from birth represents a biosocial unity. He is born with incompletely formed anatomical and physiological qualities, which further develop during his life in society. At the same time, heredity provides the child with not only purely biological properties and instincts. He initially turns out to be the owner of strictly human qualities: a developed ability to imitate adults, curiosity, the ability to be upset and happy. His smile (“privilege” of a person) has an innate character. But it is society that completely introduces a person into this world, which fills his behavior with social content.

Consciousness is not our natural heritage, although nature creates the physiological basis for it. Conscious mental phenomena are formed throughout life as a result of active mastery of language and culture. It is to society that man owes such qualities as transformative instrumental activity, communication through speech, and the ability for spiritual creativity.

The acquisition of social qualities by a person occurs in the process socialization: what is inherent in a particular person is the result of mastering the cultural values that exist in a particular society. At the same time, it is an expression, the embodiment of the internal capabilities of the individual.

Natural and social interaction between man and society contradictory. Man is a subject of social life; he realizes himself only in society. However, it is also a product of the environment and reflects the peculiarities of the development of biological and social aspects of social life. Achieving biological and social harmony society and man at every historical stage acts as an ideal, the pursuit of which contributes to the development of both society and man.

Society and man are inseparable from each other both biologically and socially. Society is what the people who form it are; it acts as an expression, design, and consolidation of the inner essence of a person, his way of life. Man emerged from nature, but exists as a man only thanks to society, is formed in it and shapes it through his activities.

Society determines the conditions for not only social, but also biological improvement of man. That is why the focus of society should be on ensuring the health of people from birth to old age. A person’s biological health allows him to actively participate in the life of society, realize his creative potential, create a full-fledged family, raise and educate children. At the same time, a person deprived of the necessary social conditions for life loses his “biological form”, deteriorates not only morally, but also physically, which can cause antisocial behavior and crimes.

In society, a person realizes his nature, but he himself is forced to submit to the requirements and restrictions of society, to be responsible to it. After all, society is all people, including every person, and by submitting to society, he affirms in himself the demands of his own essence. By speaking out against society, a person not only undermines the foundations of general well-being, but also deforms his own nature, disrupts the harmony of biological and social principles in himself.

Biological and social factors

What allowed man to stand out from the animal world? The main factors of anthropogenesis can be divided as follows:

biological factors- upright posture, hand development, large and developed brain, ability for articulate speech;

main social factors- labor and collective activity, thinking, language and morality.

Of the factors listed above, played a leading role in the process of human development; His example demonstrates the interrelation of other biological and social factors. Thus, upright posture freed up the hands to use and make tools, and the structure of the hand (spaced thumb, flexibility) made it possible to effectively use these tools. In the process of joint work, close relationships developed between members of the team, which led to the establishment of group interaction, care for members of the tribe (morality), and the need for communication (the appearance of speech). Language contributed to expressing increasingly complex concepts; the development of thinking, in turn, enriched the language with new words. Language also made it possible to pass on experience from generation to generation, preserving and increasing the knowledge of mankind.

Thus, modern man is a product of the interaction of biological and social factors.

Under him biological features understand what brings a person closer to an animal (with the exception of the factors of anthropogenesis, which were the basis for separating man from the kingdom of nature) - hereditary characteristics; the presence of instincts (self-preservation, sexual, etc.); emotions; biological needs (breathe, eat, sleep, etc.); similar physiological characteristics to other mammals (presence of the same internal organs, hormones, constant body temperature); the ability to use natural objects; adaptation to the environment, procreation.

Social Features characteristic exclusively of humans - the ability to produce tools; articulate speech; language; social needs (communication, affection, friendship, love); spiritual needs (,); awareness of your needs; activity (labor, artistic, etc.) as the ability to transform the world; consciousness; ability to think; creation; creation; goal setting.

Man cannot be reduced solely to social qualities, since biological prerequisites are necessary for his development. But it cannot be reduced to biological characteristics, since one can only become a person in society. Biological and social are inseparably fused in a person, which makes him special biosocial being.

Biological and social in man and their unity

Ideas about the unity of the biological and social in the development of man were not formed immediately.

The natural, or natural, was considered as the foundation, the basis for the correctness of the social order. There is no need to emphasize that the social played a secondary role and was directly dependent on the natural environment. In the second half of the 19th century. Various theories of social Darwinism, the essence of which is attempts to extend to public life principles of natural selection and the struggle for existence in living nature, formulated by the English naturalist Charles Darwin. The emergence of society and its development were considered only within the framework of evolutionary changes occurring independently of the will of people. Naturally, they considered everything that happened in society, including social inequality and the strict laws of social struggle, as necessary and useful both for society as a whole and for its individuals.

In the 20th century attempts to biologize “explain” the essence of man and his social qualities do not stop. As an example, we can cite the phenomenology of man by the famous French thinker and natural scientist, by the way, the clergyman P. Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955). According to Teilhard, man embodies and concentrates in himself the entire development of the world. Nature, in the process of its historical development, receives its meaning in man. In it, she reaches, as it were, her highest biological development, and at the same time it acts as a kind of beginning of her conscious, and, consequently, social development.

Currently, science has established an opinion about the biosocial nature of man. At the same time, the social is not only not belittled, but its decisive role in separating Homo sapiens from the animal world and its transformation into a social being is noted. Now hardly anyone dares to deny biological prerequisites for the emergence of man. Even without turning to scientific evidence, but guided by the simplest observations and generalizations, it is not difficult to discover the enormous dependence of man on natural changes - magnetic storms in the atmosphere, solar activity, earthly elements and disasters.

In the formation and existence of a person, and this has already been said earlier, a huge role belongs to social factors, such as labor, relationships between people, their political and social institutions. None of them by itself, separately, could have led to the emergence of man, his separation from the animal world.

Each person is unique and this is also predetermined by his nature, in particular, by the unique set of genes inherited from his parents. It must also be said that the physical differences that exist between people are primarily predetermined by biological differences. These are, first of all, the differences between the two sexes - men and women, which can be considered among the most significant differences between people. There are other physical differences - skin color, eye color, body structure, which are mainly due to geographical and climatic factors. It is these factors, as well as the unequal conditions of historical development and the educational system, that largely explain the differences in everyday life, psychology, and social status of the peoples of different countries. And yet, despite these rather fundamental differences in their biology, physiology and mental potential, the people of our planet are generally equal. The achievements of modern science convincingly demonstrate that there is no reason to claim the superiority of any race over another.

Social in man- this is, first of all, instrumental production activity, collectivist forms of life with the division of responsibilities between individuals, language, thinking, social and political activity. It is known that Homo sapiens as a person and an individual cannot exist outside of human communities. Cases are described when small children, for various reasons, came under the care of animals, were “raised” by them, and when, after several years in the animal world, they returned to people, it took them years to adapt to the new social environment. Finally, it is impossible to imagine a person’s social life without his social and political activity. Strictly speaking, as noted earlier, a person’s life itself is social, since he constantly interacts with people - at home, at work, during leisure time. How do the biological and the social relate when determining the essence and nature of a person? Modern science clearly answers this - only in unity. Indeed, without biological prerequisites it would be difficult to imagine the emergence of hominids, but without social conditions the emergence of man was impossible. It is no longer a secret that pollution of the environment and human habitat poses a threat to the biological existence of Homo sapiens. To summarize, we can say that now, like many millions of years ago, the physical state of a person, his existence, to a determining extent, depend on the state of nature. In general, it can be argued that now, as with the emergence of Homo sapiens, its existence is ensured by the unity of the biological and social.

The development of man and society is determined by the social orientation in the formation of relationships between individuals. It itself is based on social principles, which is reflected in psychological, cultural and social activities. At the same time, we cannot underestimate the aspect of people’s belonging to a biological species, which initially endows us with genetic instincts. Among them we can highlight the desire to survive, continue the race and preserve offspring.

Even if we briefly consider the biological and social in a person, we will have to note the prerequisites for conflicts due to their dual nature. At the same time, there remains a place for dialectical unity, which allows diverse aspirations to coexist in a person. On the one hand, this is the desire to assert individual rights and world peace, but on the other hand, to wage wars and commit crimes.

Social and biological factors

To understand the problems of the relationship between the biological and the social, it is necessary to become more familiar with the basic factors of both sides of a person. In this case we are talking about factors of anthropogenesis. Regarding the biological essence, in particular, the development of the hands and brain, upright posture, and the ability to speak are highlighted. Among the key social factors are labor, communication, morality and collective activity.

Already on the example of the factors indicated above, we can conclude that the unity of the biological and social in a person is not only acceptable, but also organically exists. Another thing is that this does not at all cancel the contradictions that have to be dealt with at different levels of life.

It is important to note the importance of labor, which was one of the key factors in the process of formation of modern man. It is precisely this example that clearly expresses the connection between two seemingly opposite entities. On the one hand, upright walking freed up the hand and made work more efficient, and on the other hand, collective interaction made it possible to expand the possibilities of accumulating knowledge and experience.

Subsequently, the social and biological in man developed in close conjunction, which, of course, did not exclude contradictions. For a clearer understanding of conflicts of this kind, it is worth familiarizing yourself in more detail with two concepts in understanding the essence of man.

Biologization concept

According to this point of view, the essence of man, even in its social manifestations, was formed under the influence of genetic and biological prerequisites for development. Sociobiology is especially popular among adherents of this concept, which explains human activity using evolutionary biological parameters. In accordance with this position, the biological and social in human life are equally determined by the influence of natural evolution. At the same time, the influencing factors are quite consistent with animals - for example, aspects such as home protection, aggressiveness and altruism, nepotism and following the rules of sexual behavior are highlighted.

At this stage of development, sociobiology is trying to solve complex issues of a social nature from a naturalistic position. In particular, representatives of this direction note as influencing factors the importance of overcoming the environmental crisis, equality, etc. Although the biologization concept sets one of the main tasks as the goal of preserving the current gene pool, the problem of the relationship between the biological and social in humans, expressed by anti-humanistic ideas of sociobiology. Among them are the concepts of dividing races by right of superiority, as well as the use of natural selection as a tool to combat overpopulation.

Sociologizing concept

The above-described concept is opposed by representatives of the sociologizing idea, who defend the primacy of the importance of the social principle. It is immediately worth noting that, in accordance with this concept, the public has priority over the individual.

This view of the biological and social in human development is most expressed in role and structuralism. By the way, specialists in sociology, philosophy, linguistics, cultural studies, ethnography and other disciplines work in these areas.

Adherents of structuralism believe that man is the primary component of existing spheres and social subsystems. Society itself manifests itself not through the individuals included in it, but as a complex of relationships and connections between individual elements of the subsystem. Accordingly, individuality is absorbed by society.

No less interesting is the role theory, which explains the biological and social in a person. Philosophy from this position considers the manifestations of a person as a set of his social roles. At the same time, social rules, traditions and values act as unique guidelines for the actions of individuals. The problem with this approach is focusing exclusively on people’s behavior without taking into account the characteristics of their inner world.

Understanding the problem from a psychoanalytic point of view

Between the theories that absolutize the social and the biological, psychoanalysis is located, within the framework of which a third view has emerged on the psychic principle. It is logical that in this case the mental principle is put in first place. The creator of the theory is Sigmund Freud, who believed that any human motives and incentives lie in the area of the unconscious. At the same time, the scientist did not consider the biological and social in man as entities that form unity. For example, he determined the social aspects of activity by a system of cultural prohibitions, which also limited the role of the unconscious.

Freud's followers also developed the theory of the collective unconscious, which already shows a bias towards social factors. According to the creators of the theory, this is a deep mental layer in which innate images are embedded. Subsequently, the concept of the social unconscious was developed, according to which the concept of a set of character traits characteristic of the majority of members of society was introduced. However, the problem of the biological and social in man was not identified at all from the position of psychoanalysis. The authors of the concept also did not take into account the dialectical unity of the natural, social and mental. And this despite the fact that social relations develop in an inextricable connection of these factors.

Biosocial human development

As a rule, all explanations of the biological and social as the most important factors in man are subject to the most harsh criticism. This is due to the fact that it is impossible to give a dominant role in the formation of man and society to only one group of factors, ignoring the other. Thus, the view of man as a biosocial being seems more logical.

The connection between the two basic principles in this case emphasizes their common influence on the development of the individual and society. It is enough to give the example of a baby who can be provided with everything necessary in terms of maintaining physical condition, but without society he will not become a full-fledged person. Only an optimal balance between the biological and the social in a person can make him a full member of modern society.

Outside of social conditions, biological factors alone will not be able to shape a child into a human personality. There is another factor in the influence of the social on the biological essence, which is the satisfaction of basic natural needs through social forms of activity.

You can look at the biosocial in a person from the other side, without sharing his essence. Despite the importance of sociocultural aspects, natural factors are also among the primary ones. It is precisely thanks to organic interaction that the biological and social coexist in a person. You can briefly imagine the biological needs that complement social life using the example of procreation, eating, sleeping, etc.

Concept of a holistic social nature

This is one of the ideas that leaves equal space for considering both essences of man. It is usually viewed as a concept of integral social nature, within which an organic combination of the biological and the social is possible in man, as well as in society. Adherents of this theory consider man as a social being, in which all the characteristics with the laws of the natural sphere are preserved. This means that the biological and social do not contradict each other, but contribute to its harmonious development. Experts do not deny the influence of any of the development factors and strive to correctly fit them into the overall picture of human formation.

Socio-biological crisis

The era of post-industrial society cannot but leave its mark on the processes of human activity, under the prism of which the role of behavioral factors changes. If previously the social and biological in a person was formed to a large extent under the influence of labor, then modern living conditions, unfortunately, practically minimize physical effort on the part of a person.

The emergence of ever new technical means is ahead of the needs and capabilities of the body, which leads to a mismatch between the goals of society and the primary needs of the individual. At the same time, they are increasingly subject to the pressure of socialization. At the same time, the ratio of biological and social in a person remains at the same level in regions where there is an insignificant influence of technology on the way and rhythm of life.

Ways to overcome disharmony

Modern service and infrastructure development help in overcoming conflicts between biological ones. In this case, technical progress, on the contrary, plays a positive role in the life of society. It should be noted that in the future there may be an increase in existing and the emergence of new human needs, the satisfaction of which will require other types of activities that will more effectively restore a person’s mental and physical strength.

In this case, the social and biological in a person are united by the service sector. For example, maintaining a close relationship with other members of society, a person uses equipment that contributes to his physical recovery. Accordingly, there is no talk of stopping the development of both essences of human behavior. Development factors evolve along with the object itself.

The problem of the relationship between the biological and the social in man

Among the main difficulties in considering the biological and social in a person, one should highlight the absolutization of one of these forms of behavior. Extreme views on the essence of man make it difficult to identify problems that arise from contradictions in different factors of development. Today, many experts propose to consider the social and biological in a person separately. Thanks to this approach, the main problems of the relationship between two entities are identified - these are conflicts that take place in the process of performing social tasks, in personal life, etc. For example, the biological entity can prevail in the matter of competition - while the social side , on the contrary, requires the implementation of tasks of creation and search for compromise.

Conclusion

Despite significant advances in science in many fields, questions of anthropogenesis remain largely unanswered. In any case, it is impossible to say what specific shares the biological and social occupy in a person. Philosophy also faces new aspects of the study of this issue, which appear against the backdrop of modern changes in the individual and society. But there are also some points of convergence of opinions. For example, it is obvious that the processes of biological and cultural evolution occur together. We are talking about the connection between genes and culture, but at the same time their significance is not the same. The primary role is still assigned to the gene, which becomes the final cause of most motives and actions performed by a person.