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Einladung zum Schattenboxen: Die Soziologie und die moderne Biologie

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  • Mayntz, Renate

Abstract

Die moderne Biologie, speziell Genetik und Neurobiologie, scheinen die handlungstheoretische Basis der Soziologie in Frage zu stellen. Widerlegen ihre neuesten Ergebnisse tatsächlich Axiome, deren Fortfall das soziologische Theoriegebäude einstürzen ließe? Diese Axiome beziehen sich auf unser Menschenbild. Diesem Menschenbild zufolge hat der im Prozess primärer und sekundärer Sozialisation geprägte Akteur soziokulturell geformte Präferenzen, die sein Handeln leiten. Er ist offen für seine Umwelt und reproduziert in seinem Handeln kulturell vorgegebene Muster. Die moderne Genetik scheint das Verhältnis zwischen Natur und Umwelt, nature and nurture in der Bestimmung des menschlichen Handelns zugunsten der Natur zu verschieben. Bei genauerer Betrachtung bestätigt sich jedoch, dass der handelnde Mensch der Soziologie ganz überwiegend ein Produkt der Sozialisation in eine historisch geformte Gesellschaft hinein ist. Die Genetik definiert lediglich die äußerste Grenze soziokultureller Formbarkeit. Die Hirnforschung stellt den autonomen Akteur in Frage und macht Bewusstsein zum Epiphänomen organisch-neurologischer Prozesse. Für die Soziologie ist der freie Wille jedoch niemals notwendiges handlungstheoretisches Axiom gewesen. Nicht ob Menschen bewusst handeln, sondern nach welchen - bewussten oder unbewussten - Regeln sie es tun, ist soziologisch relevant. Dabei hat die Hirnforschung selbst festgestellt, dass die ins erwachsene Gehirn einprogrammierten Reaktionstendenzen nicht genetisch determiniert sind, sondern in Interaktion mit der Umwelt "gelernt" oder zumindest verstärkt oder gehemmt werden. Die nachgewiesene Plastizität des Gehirns bannt die Gefahr des neurologischen Determinismus. Auch inhaltlich stellen die neu entdeckten, neurophysiologisch verankerten Reaktionstendenzen die von Soziologen benutzte Handlungstheorie nicht in Frage. Die Soziologie braucht und benutzt lediglich ein stilisiertes Modell des Menschen: Der homo sociologicus ist ein höchst selektives Konstrukt. Das intellektuelle Schattenboxen mit der modernen Biologie fördert keinen Widerspruch zu fundamentalen soziologischen Axiomen zutage.

Suggested Citation

  • Mayntz, Renate, 2006. "Einladung zum Schattenboxen: Die Soziologie und die moderne Biologie," MPIfG Discussion Paper 06/7, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:mpifgd:067
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