Essay on The Science of the Sexes - 858 Words

Schopenhauer, the German pessimist philosopher, wrote in 1851 that only a man overcome by his sexual impulses could have given the name of the fair sex to that undersized, narrow-shouldered, broad-hipped and short-legged race. Despite the many differences between the sexes, from average weight and height to body fat, there has been an assumption that these are only skin deep and that intellect is essentially the same. The recent publications of the latest in a growing body of research demonstrate that our brains are different too and fuel the fear that science may provide an antidote to demands for womens emancipation: if male dominance is all the natures fault, then patriarchy is inevitable. Feminist can, however, breathe a†¦show more content†¦Residing on the male Y chromosome, the gene switches on a cascade of genes that make testicles. These in turn bathe the body in testosterone. Many of the differences in male and female rodent behaviour are testosterone - derived, said Prof Goodfellow. If you give a female rat a short burst of testosterone shortly after birth you end up with a female that demonstrates male behaviour. But there is a lot of argument about whether a similar thing occurs in humans. Five years ago, Anne Moir and David Jessel claimed in the book BrainSex that to believe the sexes are the same is to build a society based on a biological and scientific lie. There are indeed many documented differences between the sexes in humans, rats and guinea pigs. However, the best known are in deep regions that control sexual behaviour, a find that is hardly surprising. It was only last year that scientists announced they had found differences in the thin rind on the surface of the brain responsible for higher intellectual abilities. Sandra Witelson, of McMaster University, told the US Society of Neuroscience that women had 11 percent more brain cells in the regions near the temples, one crucial for understanding language in the left hemisphere, and for recognizing melodies and tonal qualities in speech in the right. This apparently dovetails with the claim of Moir and Jessel that, as a result of different levels of exposure to sex hormone at birth, brains work along different linesShow MoreRelatedThe Egg And The Sperm1202 Words   |  5 Pagesboth films and texts demonstrate that culture is not influenced by science, but science in influenced by culture. In previous years when sex cells were being explored and explained, men were seen as the dominant gender. Men were known to be the powerful, God created figures who were in charge - at work and at home - while women were hidden in the background. The culture of a powerful man and dormant woman is reflected in science, specifically around the egg and sperm cells. However, culture continuallyRead MoreEssay on Anne Fausto-Sterlings The Five Sexes1151 Words   |  5 PagesExploring the Social Standards of Sex and Gender There are several sources that tell a person how to be a man or woman. Science tells us by recognizing the X or Y chromosomes. The media shows us through the physically ideal celebrities that grace the covers of magazines and flaunt their bodies in commercials. Sports, wrestling, cars, and blue for the boys. Dresses, make-up, painted nails, and pink for the girls. All of these sources, as well as others, have evolved into an expectation thatRead MorePreference for Co-Ed Schools in Korea1545 Words   |  6 Pageslittle male Korean middle-school graduates desire to go to single-sex elevated schools to retain elevated GPAs for admission to universities because of the usually higher intellectual attainment of girls. Though, area is a locale of contest for both sexes. In the reality of Korea, most universities are co-ed schools, just as in America. One high-school elder girl said, If I dont discover to contest [with guys] nowadays, after am I going to learn? (McCollum 19). This way that, at the least, elevatedRead MoreEssay about Infidelity and the Science of Cheating by Sharon Begley895 Words   |  4 PagesInfidelity and the Science of Cheating by Sharon Begley Through research psychologists and other researchers have claimed that sexual infidelity effects both men and women differently. In addition, their beliefs on sexual infidelity differ. There have been many theories about the occurrence of infidelity, and most researchers have different opinions about these theories. Researchers from the article Infidelity and the Science of Cheating, written by Sharon Begley, have asked the followingRead MoreEssay on Karen Horneys The Distrust Between the Sexes728 Words   |  3 PagesKaren Horneys The Distrust Between the Sexes In Karen Horneys The Distrust Between the Sexes, she attempts to explain the problems in the relationships between men and women. She writes that to understand the problem you must first understand that problems stem from a common background. A large amount of suspiciousness is due to peoples intensity of emotions. Early in Horneys essay, she defines passion and discusses why it is rare. People do not feel safe putting all of their faithRead MoreReflections On Gender And Science By Evelyn Fox Keller1405 Words   |  6 PagesIn Reflections on Gender and Science by Evelyn Fox Keller, Keller writes about the presence of masculinity, rather than femininity, in science. Keller begins makes it clear that, although there are significantly more men than women in the field, the issue at hand is not the lack of women working in science, but the â€Å"attribution of masculinity to science as an intellectual domain† (76). This means the language, tone, and overall dominance. Keller states that this stems from the myth that masculinityRead MoreEssay on Women on the Bottom and Men on Top967 Words   |  4 Pages and puts reality on a collision course with the politically correct cause of equality. It seems that the difference between men and women has come down to science, and we need that to tell us what those distinctions are. Steven Pinker uses career choices to illustrate the certainty of innate gender differences. In his article, â€Å"The Science of Differences,† he points out that, â€Å"anyone who has fled a cluster of men at a party debating the fine points of flat-screen televisions can appreciate thatRead MoreSociological And Common Sense Understanding1341 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction to Sociology Throughout this essay, I will explain the distinction between sociological and common sense understanding, highlight the differences between sociology and other social sciences, and evaluate two sociological perspectives – Marxism and feminism. Sociology is the scientific study of human society. It examines the development of social structures, and the interaction between these structures and human behaviour. Sociologists aim to provide tools of understanding the processRead MoreAn Analysis of Egalias Daughters1707 Words   |  7 PagesIn the satire of the sexes, Egalia’s Daughters by Gerd Brantenberg, there is put forth a society different from which has ever been present in modern times. This would be a society where women were at the forefront and did the decision making, worked and held governmental positions. The men were portrayed in the way females live in present society, though it was often exaggerated to make that point. Men were dominated and ruled by women and had to do their bidding and cook for them and take careRead MoreSimilarities Between Men And Women1088 Words   |  5 Pagessuch as gyming or throwing a ball; are constantly being compared between sexes thus pitting them against each other. Behavi oral differences across sexes are exaggerated and carried across gendered cultures. Children grow to unknowingly role-play societies version of ‘boy’ and ‘girl’. We believe that children aren’t born sexist; it isn’t innate so therefore it is learned or taught mainly by society. Differences across both sexes are not defined at birth, it is a result of societies expectations. It