Outside of sociology, evolutionary theory is once again commanding widespread attention in social science. Having sat out the spirited debates over sociobiology in the 1970s, most sociologists are largely unaware that the field has prospered and is now a respected, interdisciplinary science with a growing number of influential scholars within the social sciences. This article takes a critical look at sociobiology with a consideration of both its historical origins and its now modified theoretical stance, which is exemplified by Timothy Crippen's article “Toward a Neo-Darwinian Sociology.” In addition, this essay summarizes an alternative approach that might be called “evolutionary sociology.” While it also incorporates the Modern Synthesis, it uses established sociological methods and theory, along with primate data and the fossil and archaeological records, to consider the biological legacy of humankind.
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