Bringing in Darwin: Evolutionary Theory, Realism, and International Politics

Thayer, Bradley A.

doi:10.1162/016228800560471

Cited by 84 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Indeed, the panorama of evolutionary theory has demonstrated that researchers can investigate a wide array of research questions using a variety of methodological tools, while contributing to the overall research agenda. 6 Instead of espousing unrealistic scientific ideals, this philosophy provides political scientists with a truly scientific understanding of human behavior (Thayer 2000).…”

Section: Toward An Evolutionary Political Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Taking evolution seriously in political science

Lewis

Steinmo

2010

Theory Biosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this essay, we explore the epistemological and ontological assumptions that have been made to make political science ''scientific.'' We show how political science has generally adopted an ontologically reductionist philosophy of science derived from Newtonian physics and mechanics. This mechanical framework has encountered problems and constraints on its explanatory power, because an emphasis on equilibrium analysis is ill-suited for the study of political change. We outline the primary differences between an evolutionary ontology of social science and the physics-based philosophy commonly employed. Finally, we show how evolutionary thinking adds insight into the study of political phenomena and research questions that are of central importance to the field, such as preference formation.

show abstract

Section: Toward An Evolutionary Political Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Taking evolution seriously in political science

Lewis

Steinmo

2010

Theory Biosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…TPP Individuals are motivated to achieve personal goals within the organization (Brandon & Seldman, 2004;DeLuca, 1999;Seldman & Betof, 2004;Thayer, 2000). Power TIP Power is constantly sought and used to achieve nation-state goals (Harris, 2007;Mintzberg, 1983;N.…”

Section: Tpp Paradigm and Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a Theory of Personal Politics

Fritsch

2010

Human Resource Development Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The ability to effectively navigate organizational politics to achieve one's goals has long been recognized as necessary for individuals to experience success within their organizations. Many studies have linked the effective use of political behaviors to increased individual performance. As such, many scholars within HRD and other disciplines have created practitioner techniques and models to guide individuals in their pursuit of personal success within an organization. Although these tools are useful, there is no common theoretical framework that can ground these practices into theory and explain why some individuals can be successful in the pursuit of personal goals within the organization whereas others are not. This article introduces a crossdisciplinary framework for a theory of personal politics (TPP). TPP contends that individuals achieve their goals within an organization because they understand how the forces of multiple actors on multiple levels of analysis shape (drive or constrain) actor interactions within varying contexts. The creation of this framework and the ongoing development of the theory are based on the theory of international politics (TIP) authored by Kenneth Waltz, an international relations (IR) theorist for nearly 60 years.

show abstract

“…66 It is through this that he undertakes the task of reinvigorating the two theoretical foundations for classical Realism-Niebuhr's theological assumption of evil within humans and the Hobbes/Morgenthau metaphysical assumption that humans possess an inherent animus dominandi-which lost influence with the rise of Waltz's structuralism. 67 Thayer's justification for applying evolutionary theory to Realism is to provide a verifiable theoretical framework to reinvigorate the tradition. 68 To explain egoism, Thayer invokes Dawkins' 'selfish gene' theory, which reduces the level of analysis to the gene as a self-interested replicator.…”

Section: Shifting Political Ontologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…70 This, he argues, accounts for human allegiance to the state, ideology and institutions 71 . 72 Thayer offers three characteristics of evolutionary theory that provide a "better foundation for realism than the theological or metaphysical arguments advanced by Niebuhr or Morgenthau": firstly, it meets Hempel's criteria for DeductiveNomological models of science and also holds true to Popper's principle of falsification, secondly, it is widely accepted by the scientific community as a valid explanation for human evolution, and thirdly, it supports the offensive realist position that, in the 'competitive environment' of international anarchy, states naturally seek to dominate one another. 73 These three characteristics of his epistemological 'foundation' for realism can be criticized within the scope of the argument I have presented above 74 ; however, in keeping with the ontological thematic presented above it is more instructive to highlight that his epistemological claims pre-determine his ontological primary to be at the individual-or even gene-level.…”

Section: Shifting Political Ontologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution and Anarchism in International Relations: The Challenge of Kropotkin’s Biological Ontology

Goodwin¹

2010

Global Discourse

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper will utilize Peter Kropotkin's theory of Mutual Aid to reconsider ontology in IR. Mutual Aid Theory holds that the evolution of organisms is shaped by cooperation within a group of species against a variable ecology; thus giving rise to a sociality instinct (Kropotkin 1902). This is contrasted with the Malthusian assumption that evolution takes place at the individual level according to their intraspecific fitness. Mutual Aid Theory, applied to the realm of politics, overturns collective action problem-grounded theories that hold that the egoistic and competitive drive of humans must be overcome to promote cooperation. Thayer (2004) applied the orthodox individual-fitness interpretation of evolution in an attempt to shore up Realist arguments. I argue that such reductionist approaches to studying politics are archaic and not congruent with current scientific understanding. A critical realist approach, placing analytical priority on ontological investigations over epistemological/methodological commitments, is employed to assist in the criticism of orthodox reductionist ontologies. However, equally in line with Kropotkin's anarchist ideas, I argue that this critical realist approach also provokes ontologically-driven inquiries into post-sovereignty global politics and can inform the emancipatory intent of critical IR theory, along the basic anarchist ontological claim: society precedes the State.

show abstract

Bringing in Darwin: Evolutionary Theory, Realism, and International Politics

Cited by 84 publications

References 23 publications

Taking evolution seriously in political science

Taking evolution seriously in political science

Toward a Theory of Personal Politics

Evolution and Anarchism in International Relations: The Challenge of Kropotkin’s Biological Ontology

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About