What impact might fluoxetine have on the social sciences? The study of sociology is currently based on environmental perceptions. That is to say, social actions are evaluated by the means of other social actions (Ellis, 1993). Schools of thought that attribute social actions to biological causes such as genetics are controversial (Ellis, 1985). Fluoxetine has already induced discussions of the extent to which personality and temperament are controlled by biological factors (Fieve, 1994).

A trend may be seen in the convergence of the fields of psychiatry, neurology and endocrinology (Moss, 1984). Though increased knowledge of the functioning of the brain, these fields may tend to have more overlap. Biologically oriented offshoots of sociology are more likely to occur than a transformation of the whole sociological field. Neuroleptic drugs may be used as evidence that biology has a definite effect on behavior. The studies on aggression show concrete examples of what effect the level of a neurotransmitter may have on interpersonal behavior. Will this transform sociology into an empirical science? This is unlikely. However, a school might form inside sociology which would devote itself to issues brought up by biological factors, such as research in and use of pharmacology.

Fluoxetine has already spurred research in the direction of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Breggin, 1994). In a sharp contrast to the early neuroleptics, which were discovered through chance and coincidence, pharmaceuticals may now be designed based on theoretical effects of chemical structure and function.