This essay is a continuation of two prior posts:
Genes, Genesis and God: Introduction
Genes, Genesis and God: Natural Genesis

Cultural Genesis
According to Holmes Rolston, in the story of the genesis of value, human culture arises out of and transcends nature. Cultural value, however, should not be confused with natural value. Biologically speaking, value refers to “whatever traits an organism has that are valuable to it, relative to its survival” (39). The organism is a valuer, albeit not a conscious one, because it defends its life. Its inherent traits are good for it, “good-for-its-kind,” and good for its ecological niche (39-41). By virtue of it being exactly what it is, it has intrinsic value without reference to anything or anyone outside of it (although every organism, including humans, also has value to others (instrumental value [41]).

Humans misvalue nature when they evaluate it in terms of moral goodness. Rolston argues that it is only appropriately valued in terms of nonmoral goodness. An animal killing for survival, for example, is not analogous to killing in human culture. Describing such behavior, for instance as selfish, is to read culture into nature. Part of the human genius is that we rise to a level of consciousness where morality is possible. This means we are held to different standards of goodness (81-84).

The human mind has co-evolved with genes. But far from being determined by them, genes have enabled the mind to break free of, to use E.O. Wilson’s metaphor, the “genetic leash” (120). Sociobiologists argue that the human intellect is a product of natural selection, constructed to maximize the production of offspring. Cultural traits (“a marriage custom, a religious belief, a dietary preference, a clean shaven face”) work in service to genetic propagation (126). Rolston disagrees, arguing that, although the human mind is biologically based (i.e., we do have genetic propensities), it is distinctly designed to build “cumulative transmissible cultures” (109).

Such capacity requires mental flexibility so that humans are able to create diverse cultures, and evaluate options within the fast-pace of cultural environments, both for their functional usefulness and for their contribution to a meaningful life. Genetic changes simply cannot keep up with cultural ones (117). In addition, there is no straight causal chain linking genes to propensities to cultural traits. For example, “a set of propensities that is an adaptive fit for life in rural Nebraska might result in reduced fitness…in Boston (127). Again, what is important here is a mind that can adapt to changing cultural circumstances.

Works cited Rolston III, Holmes. Genes, Genesis and God: Values and Their Origins in Natural and Human History. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1999.

Painting: “Red Road, Red Spirit Woman,” Pamela Yates, copyright Pamela Yates (www.pamelayates.com)