ИСТИНА

The social and political implications of biology is summed up in the term biopolitics. Biopolitics is founded on the “soft naturalism” principle implying that the human being is a multilevel entity. The biological and the cultural elements coexist, compete, and cooperate inside him. Without equating a human being with an animal, biopolitics, nonetheless, demonstrates to people how important the influence of evolutionary factors on their behavior can actually be. Information concerning biological influences on human behavior can help us explain certain human actions driven by a variety of subconscious or unconscious factors and, still more important, resist these influences if they are incompatible with our social norms, moral rules, or cultural traditions. Biopolitics is also exemplified by research in genetic engineering that raises political issues such as whether all substances obtained from GM organisms must be labeled and which political regulations are to be adopted with respect to genetic diagnostics and therapy as well as to measures aimed at improving the genome of healthy people (genetic enhancement). Another important example is provided by human brain neuromediators that are on the agenda of present-day neurology. Neuromediators perform major functions in various animals, plants, and even microbial cells. Research on their role required the collaboration of specialists in different subfields of biology. The knowledge they have obtained is a prerequisite for developing neurochemical tools for manipulating human behavior, in particular in order to attain political goals.