Problems of Definition and of Identifying Appropriate Levels of Analysis

Extract

Although the target article, which attempts to clarify how physiological knowledge may resolve and guide research into aggressive behavior at a political level, raises many important issues, and in particular, draws attention to several specific areas where analyses of physiology and social behavior may be fruitfully pursued, it fails, in my view, to provide a suitable framework for such an endeavor for two reasons: one, a truncated definition of aggression, and two, a confounding of levels of analysis. After examining these two problems, I will end this commentary by highlighting and expanding upon one of those issues raised by Davies which may provide a valuable source of research.