Bettyann H. Kevles and Daniel J. Kevles

Brain abnormalities are not a primary cause of violence, Bettyann H. Kevles and Daniel J. Kevles assert in the following viewpoint. They claim that biological explanations for violence have a long and troubling history and argue that humans do not act solely on the basis of biological signals. In addition, the Kevleses contend that theories linking brain damage to violence can have troubling repercussions, such as laws that would stigmatize certain individuals. Bettyann H. Kevles is a science writer and Daniel J. Kevles is a professor of humanities at the California Institute of Technology.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the authors, how many pages of the National Research Council’s assessment of violent research were devoted to biological explanations?
2. What trait...