This talk is based on a book Lewis Wolpert is writing called “Why Can’t a Woman Be More like a Man”, to be published next spring. The main argument of the book and this talk is that men are basically modified women.

As a biologist, Lewis Wolpert wishes to understand the biological differences between men and women and how much the differences between the two are determined by biology (genes) and by social factors (environment, education).

- EXCERPT -

How different are our brains? What role does evolution play?

“We are nothing more than a society of cells and that determines everything”

"Genes are boring, they’re passive but they provide the code on which is based the functioning of the human body."

When looking back at history, the striking thing about women is that men have discriminated against them for as far back as one can go. Men were given the primary responsibilities while women were made subordinate, in charge of tasks men didn’t want to assume such as cooking or child education.

In two completely different cultures, Greek and Christianity, women are the cause of all evil: Pandora’s box and Eve. When talking about men and women, how you develop personally really matters.

“What would men be without women” would Mark Twain ask, “scarce, mighty scarce”.


The role of biology: the science behind the facts

The early development of the embryo is identical for men and women. The sexual differences begin to develop later, and it’s really because the presence of a Y chromosome cause the development of testies, glands which result in the secretion of testosterone. And therefore that modifies the embryo to develop as a male. Without that Y chromosome, the embryo would “naturally” develop to become a female. But that is a very common process in nature, nothing to really ponder about. Yet, for the sake of our debate, that’s why we say that males are modified females.


The role of evolution

From the biological point of view, having two sexes is an effective way to care about variety and diversity of genes. And evolution made sure that the division of sexes was based on pleasure during reproduction to ensure that reproduction did happen.

Charles Darwin though had a rather poor view of women:

“Man is more courageous and energetic than woman and tends to have more inventive genius. Woman seems to differ from men in mental disposition chiefly in their greater tenderness and less selfishness”

In prehistoric times, it was probably the most vigorous and strongest males who had the easiest access to women and so Lewis Wolpert believes that determines a greater appetite for sex than women, in particular for casual sex whereas he states women are more interested in relationships.

In ancient societies the supply of food was largely provided by women, while the men were protecting and hunting. It’s in fact women who developed agriculture; they made major technical contributions to humanity. Women’s food gathering activity led to animal domestication and agriculture. They also invented cooking and its related implements (pots, etc) which have been crucial to the survival of mankind when storing foods for example. But when men came back from their hunting trips they ripped all the benefits of these inventions and tied women to their use.


Psychological differences between men and women: how different are men and women’s brains?

“Here's all you have to know about men and women: women are crazy, men are stupid. And the main reason women are crazy is that men are stupid.” (George Carlin)

A leading neurologist said that “clear sex differences”, between male and female brains are visible in different parts of the brain. That is a very controversial area, still refuted by many scientists, and although you can see some of these differences when you cut out the brain for example, their functions are not all that clear. They could be just the expression of different genes typical to the division of sexes.

The tons and tons of scientific studies based on MRIs of brains of men and women patients to examine their reactions to different images are very controversial. These reactions could very well be the cause of environmental factors rather than biological ones: how men and women are taught to behave in society – both by their parents and at school throughout their childhood.