The EquivocationInfectsthe Intellectuals 55cludingthe HarvardevolutionarybiologistStephenJay Gould(1941–2002),reactedindig-
nantly.The PC scholarspresumed
- Modernsociobiologistsmightcometo conclusionsat leastremotelysimilarto those
of Spenceror eugenicists. - The hardsciencescouldconsequentlylendtheirimprimaturto suchconclusions.^22
HencethesePC academicianstookactionby formingan organizationcalledthe Sociobiol-
ogy StudyGroupof Sciencefor the People—SSGSPor “Sciencefor the People” for short.
Sciencefor the Peoplefiredoff an angryletterpublishedin no less thanthe November17,
1975 NewYorkReviewof Books. It demandedthatno oneshouldso muchas consider
studyingsociobiology,as the fieldcouldeasily“providea geneticjustification... of
existingprivilegesfor certaingroupsaccordingto class,race,or sex.... For example,John
D. Rockefeller,Sr., [sic!–S.H.]said,‘The growthof a largebusinessis merelya survivalof
the fittest.... It is merelythe workingout of a law of natureanda law of God.’ These
theoriesprovidedan importantbasisfor the enactmentof sterilizationlawsandrestric-
tiveimmigrationlaws by the UnitedStatesbetween 1910 and 1930 andalsofor the
eugenicspolicieswhichled to the establishmentof gas chambersin NaziGermany.”^23
RecountfromBookTwothatStandardOil’s founderis not the sourceof thatquotation
thatthe SSGSPattributedto him.Thatquotationis actuallyfromJohnD. Rockefeller,
Junior, whospenthis adultlife as a professionalphilanthropistand not a businessexecu-
tive.As mentionedin BookTwo,Hofstadtermisattributedthatquotationto Standard’s
founder,and generationsof academiciansunquestioninglycitedhimin quotingit.^24 And
indeedtherewasnothingunusualaboutRockefellerspeakingof the survivalof the fittest
in a contextwhereinhe did not meanthathe expectedpeopleto die. As mentionedin
BookTwo,GeorgeWashingtonCarveralsodescribedhis pursuitof his inventivecareer
as the survivalof the fittest.Alsoconsideran importantinventoraffectingmostreadersas
of this writing.In the earlydaysof automobiles,suchas thatof the ModelT, a car had to
be startedby the motoristgettingunderneaththe vehicleto crankit. Thatchangedwith
the self-starterengine—the mechanismwherebyyou startthe vehicle’s engineby slipping
the key into the ignitionand turningit. Thatprocesswas inventedby CharlesF. Kettering
(1876–1958).He, too, employedthe expressionsurvivalof the fittestin a benignreferenceto
howseparateorganizationscompeteamongone anotherin the economicrealm.^25
Sciencefor the Peoplereceiveda responsefromE. O. Wilsonandhis colleague,Uni-
versityof TorontobiologistCharlesJ. Lumsden.Mortifyingly,the rebuttalfromWilson
and Lumsdenofferedan equallyilliterateinterpretationof the past.Wilsonand Lumsden
wrotethattheyresentedtheirsociobiologicalresearchbeingequatedwithwhatthey
considered“SocialDarwinismandthe attendantevilsfavoredby capitalist-imperialist
regimes.” The pairof sociobiologistsintimatedthat theywerealreadycognizantthat such
socialDarwinismcarrieda legacyof “supportfor racism,sexism,and the statusquo.. .”
Theyassuredtheirreadersthat theydid not expecttheirfindingsto do the same.Thenthe
pairscoldedthe SSGSP,“To link opponentswithRockefellerand Hitleris to call for theirexile
fromthe dovecotesof academia.The purposeis not so muchto answerthe argumentsof the
authorsunderattackas to destroytheircredibility.Thisis particularlytrueat Harvard
University,wherea professoraccusedof fascistsympathiesis in roughlythe sameposi-
tionas an atheistin a Benedictinemonastery”^26 (emphasisadded).Let us examinethis.
WilsonandLumsdentookumbrageat any attemptto discredita professorby arbitrary
comparisonsof himwithHitler.Nevertheless,theythemselvesapprovedof the SSGSP’s
arbitraryequivocationof Rockefellerwiththe Führer,goingas far as referringto “capital-
ist-imperialistregimes” as if capitalismandimperialisminvariablygo together.E. O.
Wilsonand his academiccriticshave,muchas CarlSaganhas,betrayedan equallyshal-
lowunderstandingof theirsocial-scienceheritage.Theyare in unanimous,tacitagree-