The development of man and society is due to the social orientation in the formation of relationships between individuals. The very nature of man is based on social principles, which is reflected in psychological, cultural and social activities. At the same time, one cannot underestimate the aspect of people's belonging to a biological species, which initially gives us genetic instincts. Among them, one can single out aspirations to survive, continue the race and preserve offspring.
Even if we consider the biological and social aspects of man briefly, we will also have to note the prerequisites for conflicts caused by the dual nature. At the same time, there remains a place for dialectic unity, which allows diverse aspirations to coexist in a person. On the one hand, it is a desire to assert the rights of the individual and universal peace, but on the other, to wage wars and commit crimes.
Social and biological factors
To understand the problems of the relationship between biological and social, it is necessary to become more familiar with the basic factors of both sides of man. In this case, we are talking about factors of anthropogenesis. Regarding the biological essence, in particular, the development of the arms and brain, upright posture, and also the ability to speak are distinguished. Among the key social factors, labor, communication, morality and collective activity are distinguished.
Already on the example of the factors indicated above, we can conclude that the unity of the biological and social in man is not only permissible, 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. Just on this example, the connection between two seemingly opposite entities is clearly expressed. On the one hand, upright posture freed a 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 connection, which, of course, did not exclude contradictions. For a clearer understanding of conflicts of this kind, it is worthwhile to become more familiar with two concepts in understanding the essence of man.
Biologizing 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. Especially among adherents of this concept, sociobiology is popular, which just explains the activities of people with evolutionary and biological parameters. In accordance with this position, the biological and social in human life is equally due to the influence of natural evolution. At the same time, influence factors are quite consistent with animals - for example, aspects such as protecting the home, aggressiveness and altruism, nepotism and following the rules of sexual behavior are distinguished.
At this stage of development, sociobiology is trying to solve complex social issues from a naturalistic perspective. In particular, representatives of this direction note the freedom and responsibility of the individual, the importance of overcoming the environmental crisis, equality, etc. as factors of influence. Although the biologization concept sets the goal of maintaining the current gene pool as one of the main objectives, the problem of the correlation of biological and social in a person expressed by antihumanistic ideas of sociobiology. Among them are the concepts of division of races by right of superiority, as well as the use of natural selection as a tool to combat overpopulation.
Sociological concept
Against the above concept are representatives of the sociological idea, defending the paramount 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 theory of personality 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. The society itself is manifested not by means of individuals included in it, but as a complex of relations and connections between the individual elements of the subsystem. Accordingly, individuality is absorbed by society.
No less interesting is the role theory, which explains the biological and the social in man. Philosophy from this perspective considers the manifestations of man as a combination of his social roles. At the same time, social rules, traditions and values act as original guidelines for the actions of individual individuals. The problem with this approach is to focus exclusively on the behavior of people without taking into account the characteristics of their inner world.
Understanding the problem in terms of psychoanalysis
Between theories that absolutize social and biological, there is psychoanalysis, within the framework of which a third view of the essence of man has developed. It is logical that in this case the psychic principle is put first. The creator of the theory is Sigmund Freud, who believed that any human motives and incentives lie in the realm 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 limit the role of the unconscious.
The followers of Freud developed the theory of the collective unconscious, in which a bias towards social factors is already traced. According to the creators of the theory, this is a deep mental layer in which innate images are embedded. In the future, the concept of the social unconscious was developed, in accordance with which the concept of a set of character traits characteristic of most members of society was introduced. However, the problem of biological and social in a person from the perspective of psychoanalysis was not indicated at all. The authors of the concept and the dialectical unity of the natural, social and mental did not take into account. And this despite the fact that social relations are developing in an inextricable combination of these factors.
Human biosocial development
As a rule, all explanations of biological and social as the most important factors in a person are most sharply criticized. This is due to the fact that it is impossible to give the leading role in the formation of man and society to only one group of factors, ignoring the other. Thus, a more logical view of a person as a biosocial being.
The connection of the two basic principles in this case emphasizes their common influence on the development of the individual and society. It is enough to give an example with a baby who can be provided with everything necessary in terms of maintaining a physical condition, but without society he will not become a full-fledged person. Only the optimal ratio of biological and social in a person can make him a full member of modern society.
Outside of social conditions, biological factors alone cannot form a human person out of a child. There is one more factor of the social influence on the biological essence, which consists in satisfying basic natural needs through social forms of activity.
One can also look at the biosocial in a person, without sharing his essence. Despite the importance of sociocultural aspects, natural factors of nature are also among the paramount. It is thanks to the organic interaction that the biological and social in humans coexist. Briefly present biological needs that complement social life can be exemplified by procreation, eating food, sleeping, etc.
The concept of holistic social nature
This is one of the ideas that leaves equal places for consideration of both human essences. It is usually considered as a concept of an integral social nature, within the framework of which an organic combination of biological and social in a person, as well as in society, is possible. Adherents of this theory consider man as a social being, in which all characteristics with laws of the natural sphere are preserved. This means that the biological and social in the person’s personality 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 enter them into the overall picture of the formation of man.
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 behavior factors is changing. If previously 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 efforts on the part of a person.
The appearance of 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 an individual. Moreover, members of society are increasingly exposed 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 a slight effect of technology on lifestyle and rhythm of life.
Ways to overcome disharmony
In overcoming conflicts between biological and social processes, modern service and infrastructure development helps. In this case, technological progress, by contrast, plays a positive role in society. It should be noted that in the future the growth of existing and the emergence of new human needs is possible, for the satisfaction of which other types of activities will be needed that will more effectively restore the mental and physical forces of a person.
In this case, the social and biological in a person is united by the service sector. For example, while maintaining a close relationship with other representatives of society, a person uses equipment that contributes to his physical recovery. Accordingly, there is no question of stopping the development of both entities of human behavior. Development factors evolve with the object itself.
The problem of the ratio of biological and social in man
Among the main difficulties in considering the biological and social in a person, the absolutization of one of these forms of behavior should be highlighted. Extreme views on the essence of man make it difficult to identify problems that just stem from contradictions in various development factors. Today, many experts propose to consider the social and biological in a person separately. Thanks to this approach, the main problems of the correlation of two entities are revealed - these are conflicts that take place in the process of fulfilling social tasks, in personal life, etc. For example, a biological entity can gain the upper hand in the matter of competition - while the social side on the contrary, it requires the fulfillment of the tasks of building and seeking a compromise.
