Could biology be to blame for the US government shutdown?

As the U.S. government remains shut down for a fourth day, Rice University political scientist John Alford is available to discuss how biology may be to blame for the current political impasse in the nation's capital.

Alford, an associate professor of political science, specializes in research of the biology of political behavior, including brain science, genetics and the role of evolution in shaping human political beliefs. In his new book, "Predisposed: Liberals, Conservatives and the Biology of Political Differences," Alford and his coauthors argue that the "universal rift" between conservatives and liberals endures not because of societal or familial influences, but because people have diverse psychological, physiological and genetic traits.

These biological differences influence much of what makes people who they are, including their orientation to politics, Alford said.

"It is our biology, and not always reason or the careful consideration of facts, that predisposes us to see and understand the world in different ways," Alford said. "These predispositions are in turn responsible for noteworthy moments of political and ideological conflict that mark human history."

Alford said the key to getting along politically is not the ability of one side to see the error of its ways but rather the ability of each side to see that the other is different, not just politically, but physically.

The article is titled "Predisposed: Liberals, Conservatives and the Biology of Political Differences."

More information:
www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415535878/

Provided by Rice University