Sex and Violence

Abstract

In the Prologue I suggested that our behaviour is powerfully influenced—perhaps even totally determined—by our genes and experiences. I’ve already looked at a few examples, but the determinist claim is deeply counterintuitive, and so rightly demands strong supporting evidence before it can be taken seriously. I cannot cover all that evidence here, but I will sample it by focusing on just two questions: Why do we find some men and women sexually attractive? And why are some men violent? You might think that sexual attraction and violence are both areas where free will reigns supreme—no one makes us violent, no one makes us fall in love with someone; we choose freely. But in this chapter I will consider evidence that our choices may be less free than we imagine.