Law & Behavioral Biology
Applying the insights from behavioral biology to the study of law, economics and other social sciences is a core mission of the Institute. Though much of the public is aware of knowledge from the behavioral sciences, the potential for using this knowledge to help understand law is not as widely appreciated. The Institute creates opportunities for legal scholars and evolutionary and other behavioral biologists to meet together and discuss applications. It also supports research aimed at shedding light from the behavioral sciences on problems of law and justice. Areas of specific focus include property and intellectual property, conflict resolution, trust and exchange, fairness, punishment, and the sense of justice.
Past related conferences:
Workshop: “Meeting of the Minds”. The Institute for Law and Rationality of the University of Minnesota Law School. August 24-25, 2007.
Conference: “Law, Biology and the Brain.” Squaw Valley, CA. May 20-24, 2007.
Conference: “Self And Other: Cognitive Perspectives On Trust, Empathy And Self”. The Institute for Law and Rationality of the University of Minnesota Law School, April 6-7, 2007.
Conference: “Law and Emotions: New Directions in Scholarship”. Co-sponsored by Boalt Hall, the Center for Study of Law and Society – UC Berkeley, DePaul University College of Law, the Gruter Institute for Law and Behavioral Research, and Vanderbilt University School of Law, February 8-9, 2007.
Conference: “Property and Behavioral Science.” Gruter Institute and Max-Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition, and Tax Law, Munich, 28-29, 2006.
Conference: “Law, Biology and the Brain.” Squaw Valley, CA. May 22-25, 2006.
Conference: “Law, Biology and the Brain.” Squaw Valley, CA. May 22-25, 2005.
Workshop: “Workshop: From Personal to Impersonal Trusted Exchange in The Physical and Digital Domains: An Evolutionary Perspective.” Gruter Institute and Berkman Center Roundtable Series, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, April 27, 2005.
Workshop: “Cooperative Structures and Institutions: Evolutionary, Legal and Digital Perspectives.” Gruter Institute and Berkman Center Roundtable Series, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, March 30, 2005.
Workshop: “Emotions, Retaliation and the ‘Culture of Honor’: An Evolutionary and Neuroscience Approach.” Gruter Institute and Berkman Center Roundtable Series, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, March 3, 2005.
Workshop: Trust, Civil Society, and Economic Development.”, Gruter Institute and Berkman Center Roundtable Series, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, November 17, 2004.
Workshop: “Honest Signaling and Other Strategies for Building Reliability and Trust on the Internet”, Gruter Institute and Berkman Center Roundtable Series, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, October 13, 2004.
Workshop: “Introductory Session: From Personal to Impersonal Trusted Exchange — An Evolutionary and Neuro-economic Perspective,” as part of the Gruter Institute and Berkman Center Roundtable Series, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, September 22, 2004.
Conference: “Law and Biology: Impact on the Courts.” Co-sponsored with the National Judicial College and the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE), Dartmouth, NH, August 6-7, 2004.
Conference: “Law, Behavior and the Brain.” Squaw Valley, CA. May 20-25, 2004.
Conference:” Behavioral Building Blocks of Free Enterprise.” Squaw Valley, CA, May 24-25, 2004.
Conference: “Sensory Systems and Judgment in Law.” Squaw Valley, CA, June 12 – 17, 2003.
Workshop: “ Incorporating Biology and Neuroscience into the Law School Curriculum.” Squaw Valley, CA, June 11 – 12, 2003.
Workshop: ”Investigating the Basis of Property” An Action-Oriented Planning Workshop. George Mason University School of Law, April 15, 2003.
Workshop: “The Science, Policy and Law of Addictive Substances: Licit and Illicit Strategies in the Context of Tobacco.” Center for Advanced Studies in Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA, November 15, 2002.
Conference: “Investigating Justice: Applying Evolutionary Biology to Right and Wrong in the Law.” Squaw Valley, CA, June 13 – 18, 2002.
Workshop: “Evolutionary Biology and the Social Sciences.” Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA. March 27, 2002.
German-American Workshop: “Law and Behavior – Mediation.” University of Tübingen, Germany, May 5-6, 2001.
Workshop: “Evolution and Social Behavior.” UCLA The Center for Governance, April 20, 2001.
Conference: “Projecting Science into Society.” University of Cambridge, UK. March 20 and 21, 2001.
Workshop: “Biology and Law.” Seewiesen, Germany. March 14 and 15, 2002.
Research Roundtable: “Law and Evolution.” George Mason University School of Law, March 3, 2001.
Planning Conference: “Windows for Justice.” Humanwissenschaftliches Zentrum. University of Munich, Germany, February 16-17, 2001.
Workshop: “Sexual Slavery: The Trafficking of Women and Girls into the United States for Sexual Exploitation.” UC Hastings College of Law, February 9, 2001.
Conference: “Law, Behavioral Biology and Economics” Arizona State University College of Law. November 17-18, 2000.
Roundtable Conference: “Windows for Justice.” University of Munich, Germany, September 6-7, 2000.
Conference: “Evolutionary Biology, Economics, Business and Law:” Squaw Valley, CA June 11-14, 2000.
Seminar: “Evolutionary Biology, Economics, Business, and Law:” University of California at Berkeley, January 29, 2000.
Seminar: “Biology in the Boardroom:” University of Cambridge, UK, January 11, 2000.
Eighth Annual Teaching Seminar: “The New Genetics and Reproduction: The Legal Response.” Squaw Valley, CA. June 9–13, 1999.
Conference: “Consumer Choice/Market Forces in the Selection of Dispute Resolution Procedures,” Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC, sponsored by the Gruter Institute, Ann and Gordon P. Getty Foundation, and Georgetown University Law Center, November 6 and 7, 1998.
Conference: “Epigenesis and the Law,” Tauberbischofsheim, Germany, September 18–20, 1998.
Publication: ‘Gene, Kultur und Recht.’ Stämpfli Verlag AG Bern, Switzerland, 2000.
Conference: “Reciprocity in Law and Anthropology,” Tauberbischofsheim, Germany, September 17, 1998.
Publication:‘ Korruption, Reziprozität und Recht.’ Stämpfli Verlag AG Bern, Switzerland, 2000.
Conference: “Reparative Justice,” sponsored by the Gruter Institute and the Vermon
Department of Corrections at Dartmouth College, July 25 – 28, 1998.
Seventh Annual Teaching Seminar: “Neurobiology, Human Behavior, and the Law” Squaw Valley, CA June17-21, 1998.
Symposium: “Windows for Justice (Street Law),” sponsored by Georgetown Law Center and Gruter Institute at Washington, DC, March 27-28, 1998.
Workshop: “Law and Biology” for Federal Judges sponsored by The Federal Judicial Center, Dartmouth College, the Gruter Institute, and Vermont Law School at Dartmouth College, September 9-12, 1997.
Fourth Annual Faculty Seminar: “Biological Perspectives in the Social Sciences and Humanities” at Dartmouth College, August 2-8, 1997.
Sixth Annual Teaching Seminar: “Frontiers in Law and Biology,” Squaw Valley, CA, June 18-22, 1997.
Symposium: “Biology, Behavior and the Criminal Law” Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT, April 11-12, 1997.
Panel: “Sexual Differences in Mating Strategies: The Interface of Culture, Law, and Biology” at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Seattle, WA, February 14, 1997.
Conference: “Law, Risk, and Risk Management,” University of California- Berkeley, CA, Sept. 29 – Oct. 4, 1996.
Panel: “The Nature of Inequality: from Primate Dominance to Political Power” at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, San Francisco, August 31, 1996.
NEH/NSF Summer Institute: “Human Nature: Integrating Nature and Nurture,” Dartmouth College, July 8–August 16, 1996.
Fifth Annual Teaching Seminar: “Law, Biology, and Human Behavior,” Squaw Valley, CA, June 19–24, 1996.
Conference: “Gewalt in der Kleingruppe und das Recht” (Violence in Families and Schools), Society for the European Institute for Legal Psychology, Zurich, Switzerland, June 7–9, 1996.
Workshop: “Law and Biology” for Federal Judges sponsored by The Federal Judicial Center, Dartmouth College, the Gruter Institute, and Vermont Law School at Dartmouth College, May 13–16, 1996.
Panel: “The Sense of Justice: Biological Foundations of Morality and Law” at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Baltimore, February 9, 1996.
Third Annual Faculty Seminar: “Biological Perspectives in the Social Sciences,” Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, August 5-11, 1995.
Fourth Annual Teaching Seminar: “Law, Biology, and Human Behavior,” Squaw Valley, CA, June 24-29, 1995.
3International Symposium: “Migration from the Perspective of Law and Behavioral Research,” Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, April 26-29, 1995.
Conference: “Mate Selection, Courtship Strategies, and the Law,” Siemens Stiftung, Munich, Germany, April 24-26, 1995.
Panel: “Where in Human Nature do Human Rights come from? Biological, Cultural and Legal Perspectives.” Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, Atlanta, GA, December 2, 1994.
Second Annual Faculty Seminar: “Biological Perspectives in the Social Sciences,” Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, August 13-19, 1994.
Third Annual Teaching Seminar: “Law, Biology, and Human Behavior,” Squaw Valley, CA, June 15-20, 1994.
Conference: “Migration and Immigration: Trends and Critical Policy Issues,” Brookings Institution, Washington, DC, May 19 & 20, 1994.
First Annual Faculty Seminar: “Biological Perspectives in the Social Sciences,” Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, July 31 – August 6, 1993.
Second Annual Teaching Seminar: “Applications of Biology in the Study of Law,” Squaw Valley, CA, June 17-22, 1993.
Symposium: “Sex and Reason,” Stanford University, Stanford, CA, March 7, 1993.
Conference: “The Rule of Law, Human Nature and the New Russia,” Brookings Institution, Washington, DC, January 4 & 5, 1993.
Publication: ‘Law and Democracy in the New Russia.’ Brookings Institution, Washington, DC. 1993.
Conference: “Void for Vagueness,” University of California – Law School, Berkeley, CA, November 13, 1992.
First Annual Teaching Seminar: “The Use of Biology in the Study of Law,” Squaw Valley, CA, June 18-25, 1992.
Fact finding trip to Moscow, Russia – Steering Committee of the Gruter Institute, as a result of the below conference. May 20-24, 1992.
Conference: “From a Centrally-Planned Government System to a Rule-of-Law Democracy,” Siemens Stiftung, Munich, Germany, May 18-19, 1992.
Panel: “Law, Biology and Culture.” Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, Chicago, November 22, 1991.
Conference: “The Infrastructure and Suprastructure of the European Market: Implications for next two Decades.” St. Moritz, Switzerland, August 26-28, 1991.
Publications: a.‘Human Nature and the New Europe.’ Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1993. b.‘Der Faktor Mensch im neuen Europa.’ Luchterhand Verlag, Kriftel, Germany, 1993.
Conference: “Biological Perspectives in Law and Social Sciences.” Squaw Valley, CA, June 24-30, 1991.
Conference: “The Interaction of Law, Biology, and Economics in the Areas of Property, Trust and Competition,” Tauberbischofsheim, Germany. May 30 – June 1, 1991. E&B, L&BB
Conference: “The Interaction of Law, Biology, and Economics in the Areas of Property, Economy and Environmental Protection,” Tauberbischofsheim, Germany. May 27-29, 1991. Publication: ‘Biology, Culture, and Environmental Law,’ Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, Germany 1993.
Seminar: “Ethology of Law and Environmental Protection,” University of Zurich, Switzerland, May 24-25, 1991.
Conference: “Ethology, Property, Economics, and Growth.” Squaw Valley, CA, May 18-21, 1990.
Workshop: “The Relevance of Ethology for Environmental Protection.” Munich, Germany, March 26-28, 1990.
Fourth Monterey Conference: “Law, Biology, and the Sense of Justice: An Inquiry,” Monterey, CA, October 12-15, 1989.
Publications:
1. ‘Behavior, Evolution and the Sense of Justice,’ in American Scientist, Vol. 34, Jan-Feb. 1991.
2. ‘The Sense of Justice: An Inquiry into the Biological Foundations of Law.’ Sage Publications, Newbury Park, CA, 1992.
Conference: “Ethology and Law: Competition and Trust in German and American Law,” Bad Homburg, Germany, May 22-24, 1989.
Workshop: “Law and Biology: Interdisciplinary Collaboration towards Inclusion of Biological Knowledge in the Law,” San Francisco, CA, January 20, 1989.
Panel: “Convergence of Evolutionary Theory, Economics, and Political Science” at the annual meeting of American Association for the Advancement of Science, San Francisco, CA, January 19, 1989.
Workshop: “Serotonin, Social Behavior, and the Law.” Dartmouth College, November 3-5, 1988.
Publication: ‘The Neurotransmitter Revolution,’ Southern Illinois Press, 1993.
Workshop: “The Legal Concept of Obligation and Responsibility in Ethological Perspective,” Munich, Germany, February 24-27, 1988.
Panel: “Ethology and Law” at the annual meeting of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences, Chicago, IL, September 3, 1987.
Third Monterey Dunes Conference: “Affiliative Behavior and Family Law.” April 25-27, 1986.
Publication: Amicus Curiae Brief on the Baby M case.
Conference: “Biobehavioral Research, Social Sciences, and Consequences for Law.” Munich, Germany – September 4-6, 1985.
Second Monterey Dunes Conference: “Ostracism.” September 14-16, 1984.
Publications: ‘Ostracism: A Social and Biological Phenomenon’
- in the Journal Ethology and Sociobiology, Elsevier, Vol. 7, Nrs. 3/4, 1986.
- as a book – Elsevier, 1986.
- in German: ‘Ablehnung – Meidung – Ausschluß’ in Schriftenreihe zur Rechtssoziologie und Rechtstatsachenforschung, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, No.60, 1986.
First Monterey Dunes Conference “Law and Behavioral Research.” September 25-27, 1981.
Publications: ‘Law, Biology and Culture: The Evolution of Law’
- in the Journal of Social and Biological Structures, Academic Press, Vol. 5, No. 4, October 1982.
- as a book – Ross Erikson, Inc. Publisher, 1983.
- in German: ‘Der Beitrag der Biologie zu Fragen von Recht und Ethik’ in Schriftenreihe zur Rechtssoziologie und Rechtstatsachenforschung, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, No. 54, 1983.