The Anthropological Study of “Insect Society” in Evolutionism

Bian Quanqin Zhang Yuan

（Southwest Nationalities Research Academy，Southwest

University for Nationalities，Chengdu，610041，Sichuan，China）

JOURNAL OF ETHNOLOGY， VOL.6，NO.6，18-22，2015 （CN51-1731/C，in Chinese）

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1674-9391.2015.06.03

Abstract：

Evolutionism is the first discipline paradigm in the history of anthropology.As early as 1801，JeanBaptiste Lamarck，a French naturalist clearly put forward the notion of evolution.However，it was not until C.R.Darwin published his book The Origin of Species in 1859，that the theory of evolution became widely regarded by the world.In addition to the field of biology，evolutionism also broadly and deeply influenced the fields of anthropology，philosophy and psychology，etc.In the study of evolutionism，a comparative investigation between insect society and human society has attracted the special interest of many scholars.In addition to Charles Robert Darwin，Aldous Leonard Huxley，Joham Jakob Bochofen and Henri Bergson published special works on this aspect.These scholars not only lived during the era of evolutionism，their thinking and research were more or less connected with evolutionism and insect society.Their research spawned a series of new theoretical thinking on the division of labor，ethics and morality，matrilineal society，and the creation of evolution，etc.Clarifying the research on “insect society” in evolutionism is necessary and important for us to understand the construction of social theories during that time.Hence，this article seeks to review “insect society” in the eyes of these scholars and make comparisons among them.

1.C.R.Darwin

Darwins most significant book is The Origin of Species.In this book，the study of bees and ants mainly focuses on the discussion of “instinct”.The first place in this book which involves the study of bees was a discussion on whether or not is variation of instinct.The second place which involves the study of bees and ants is in a discussion of “special biological instinct”.All discussion on insect society is based on the theory that social division is the cause of the development of instinct.Of course，Darwins research on insect society mainly focused on the question of biological evolution.In other words，he only made a comparison between insect society and human society in his book，but did not connect them.

2.T.H.Huxley

Huxley was deeply influenced by Darwin.In his book Evolution and Ethics and Other Essays，he described biological evolution，and then compared it with social evolution.He believed that social evolution differed from biological evolution，and，moreover，evolution also includes the phenomenon of “recapitulation”.While discussing social evolution，he not only mentions two characteristics of social evolution，namely，“natural man” i.e.man existing in his natural state，and “cultural man”i.e.man who is bound by man （society），but he also proposes two concepts，namely the process of nature and the process of “gardening” （man shaped and restrained by culture and society）.It is this latter concept in which where Huxley is more brilliant than Darwin，who ignored the process of “gardening”.Huxley believes that there are similarities between insect society and human society—that they are all the results of the functional needs of society.Hence，all the behavior of every individual should conform to the interests of the whole.However，there is a wide gap between the two societies—the members of the bee society are bound to perform a special type of function because of their biological nature，whereas with human society there is no predestination of the actions of its members.

3.J.J.Bochofen

Bochofen did not use the ant as the object of research in his book Mother Right.Instead，he provides details from his research on bees.He assumes a similar social function between bee society and the matriarchate described in his book.He thinks that the organization of the hive illustrates of gynocracy.Then，he discusses the relationship between honey and women.Honey is a natural product from nature，and nature is the source of all things.Accordingly，women are the source of all humans.One of his most important conclusions is that division of labor in the hive is similar to the social divisions of human society，especially the social divisions in matriarchal society.Thus，insect society and human society are further connected.

4.Henri Bergson

It is clear that，the view of Bergson in his book Creative Evolution is the most innovative and inspirational.First，his concept of evolutionism diverges from previous scholars who thought that when an organism or creature developed into another，the former disappeared.However，Bergson noted that these newly evolved organisms or creatures inherited the past，and carried it with them into future generations.When it was needed，the memory of past attributes will be recalled.Next，in the eyes of Bergson，the purpose of life is determined.He thought that the purpose of life is to pursue free of will.In order to obtain free will，it should be split from the material form.Finally，we should also note Bergsons classification of the world.It not only contains his comparison between instinct and wisdom，but also contains his investigation of the creation and continuation of life.Different from Huxleys idea that bee society is lower than human society，Bergson regarded these as two different societies.Moreover，the situation of bee society is a supplement to the human society.This is because there is not just one path for evolution;evolution can move in all directions，but without destination，and evolution can still show its creativity during its process of adaptation.

In conclusion，all four scholars mentioned above，to some extent，acknowledged that a society exists，namely insect society，which is earlier than human society.Although all of them made a comparison between the two kinds of societies，their discussions of insect society were made in different contexts.The research on insect society within the doctrine of evolutionism has enriched “social” theory.Reasons why human society is more complex than insect society are indicated，and，in addition to giving a comparative discussion on physical structure，a discussion on the value of social morality and creativeness of social openness has been extended.

Key Words： evolutionism;insect society;the division of labor;morality;creative evolution

References：

Alan Barbard.renleixue lishi yu lilun （History and Theory in Anthropology）.Wang Jianmin，transl.Beijing： huaxia chubanshe.2006.

Brian Baxter.shengtai zhuyi daolun （Ecologism： An Introduction）.Zeng Jianping，transl.Chongqing： Chongqing chubanshe，2007.

C.R.Darwin.wuzhong qiyuan （ The Origin of the Species）.Zhou Jianren，transl.Beijing： shangwu yinshuguan.2005.

Henri Bergson.chuangzao jinhualun （Creative Evolution）.Jian Zhihui，transl.Beijing： shangwu yinshuguan.2004.

Joham Jakob Bochofen. Mother Right： a study of the religious and juridical aspects of gynocracy in the ancient world.The Edwin Mellen Press，1861.

T.H.Huxley.jinhualun yu lunlixue（Evolution and Ethics and Other Essays）.Song Qilin transl.Beijing： beijing daxue chubanshe，2012.