Biological or Social Differences

Since I have just finished constructing an argument for biological differences I suppose that is the stance I should take. I take this stance, not with shame or humiliation, but with an understanding of the argument that goes with it.

I'm going to assume that everyone read the case and understands that this argument does not mean that women cannot do these tasks. It simply means that men are predisposed to the fields of math and science, and that predisposition comes from a biological difference rather than a social one.

First, we know that there are places biologically that these differences could originate. Receptors for hormones on the brain and the cerebral cortex are one possibility. Steven Pinker says there are also many other differences between female and male brains including size, density of cortical neurons, degree of cortical asymmetry and the size of the hypothalamic nuclei.

We know that male and female behavioral differences are biological rather than societal for a number of reasons. If we analyze the John/Joan case we know that he continued to show male behavior patterns even though society knew him and treated him as a girl. We also could consider the universality of male tendencies to be competitive, and female tendencies to be nurturing.

These differences are only relevant when put into the context of math and science learning, but as Pinker pointed out studies have been done that show males performing better in "mental rotation, spatial perception and spatial visualization." These three skills have factored heavily into many scientists breakthroughs.

To look at all this valuable data and still say that there is no biological component is simply absurd.

However, despite this argument I still believe we should not change our education system to reflect these tendencies. After all, what if the person that invents the cure of cancer is a woman. She had the motivation and the drive to overcome the biological difference, and for us to say that she should not go into the field simply because she is biologically not the perfect person to go into the field would be a terribly huge mistake. Women are capable of doing just as well as men in these fields, even surpassing men, but to do so they are having to overcome a biological hurdle.