Biology and Society

The course aims to critically examine the ideological, political, and cultural implications of some of the most influential biological theories and doctrines that emerged between the 19th and 20th centuries. Adopting a historical-philosophical and interdisciplinary approach, it explores how specific biological ideas both shaped and were shaped by their broader social, economic, and political contexts. The course begins with an exploration of biological determinism, followed by an analysis of particularly controversial concepts such as the complex debate surrounding social Darwinism and the notion of biological "norm" and "normality". Special attention will be devoted to the controversies sparked by sociobiology, a discipline that sought to explain human behavior in evolutionary terms and provoked intense debate in both scientific and philosophical domains. Further topics include the concept of ecological imperialism, with a focus on the biological and ecological dimensions of European colonial expansion. The final part of the course will explore the philosophical and political intersections between technology and biology, particularly how the Industrial Revolution redefined the relationships between living organisms and machines, and how these transformations continue to shape contemporary scientific and cultural imaginaries.
The course is structured into six thematic units. Each unit centers on the in-depth reading, discussion, and critical analysis of a key text—selected for its theoretical or historical relevance to the topic, supplemented by additional materials and collective discussions.