Comments on: Is evolutionary psychology really rational choice theory?

By: Acaiberrydiet

Acaiberrydiet — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:30:30 +0000

I like the information you have here will deff help me out thank you.

By: KAS

KAS — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:32:43 +0000

Is it not ‘jumping the gun’ to equate sociological aspects of our behavior to evolution? Don’t factors, like social and cultural influence, affect all of these proposed irrational issues? For example; Athens and Sparta Greece — (not an expert here) but, didn’t Athens have affluent homosexuality where as Sparta had little to none? Or, in Afghanistan where men have multiple wives and still engage in homosexuality on the side as recreation (this one I know.) And isn’t porcelain skin valued in more countries than tanned? For instance, Afghanistan for one, India for another, I believe Asian countries think the same (painted white faced Chinese women come to mind.) But, I need not argue the validity as that is already your stance.

My humble, only generally educated, opinion: I believe that our biological programming is stiff and generally just happens; but, I think the programming for the mind is more open ended — more of a ‘help menu’ -if you will, of options as processes for any sort of situation or variable that cannot be predetermined. This, I believe, is why we are able to utilize this sort of programming for our will. Our artistic pursuits, invention, theory and science… All a possible result of simply utilizing the available programmed tools – the way we choose to use them. Choice being the key attribute necessary to do so; choice, I believe, is required for programming because the mind cannot predetermine scenario’s and problems. Choice, being presumably a program itself, would have the purpose of allowing us to utilize all available functions to solve any sort of problem or construct any sort of idea. It would also be available for choosing to be cruel, hurtful, ignorant or detrimental towards other humans or to pursue pleasures or want’s etc.

As far as an evolution of the mind, – maybe more of these tools become available?

But, how would this progress in overall humanity when the aspects of evolutionary progression (Darwin’s; heritability, variation and selective pressure as you mention) are influenced by our choice to assist each other in survival and furthermore to medically support the ‘bad strains’ like bad vision etc. How will the progression make headway without evolutionarily progressed humans living out the rest? Though, maybe with interbreeding and time, all things would play out…

KAS

By: A Hot Cup of Joe » Blog Archive » Four Stone Hearth #49

A Hot Cup of Joe » Blog Archive » Four Stone Hearth #49 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:05:20 +0000

[...] Is Evolutionary Psychology Really Rational Choice Theory?, by Greg Downey [...]

By: Naadir Jeewa

Naadir Jeewa — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:35:58 +0000

I've been told that everyone's been trying to distance themselves from Kanazawa. He isn't listed on UCL's or Birkbeck's websites anymore. Thank god.

By: Clare

Clare — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:02:40 +0000

The English do seem to be particularly entranced by this kind of thing — there was a TV series a number of years ago called “Why Men Don’t Iron” that was an equally hilarious exploration of wildly misinterpreted social phenomena. Still, there is part of me that expects the author of the paper linked to above to be revealed as a comedian, not an academic. The line “the brain of young Muslim men today is tricked by the Koran, which also did not exist in the ancestral environment” was particularly hysterical.

By: gregdowney

gregdowney — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:35:27 +0000

Naadir –
Wow. I’m gobsmacked, as we say here in Oz. Thanks for enlightening me — the paper looks excellent, an insightful exploration of the ‘evolutionary imagination’ (which can be so extraordinarily creative), and the blog entry was startling. I’m glad that I didn’t dig too deep into Dr. Kanazawa’s website. Maybe some slow weekend after a couple of beers I might have the right frame of mind to deal with it.

It’s a shame that so many nutters are attracted to what they think is ‘evolutionary’ theory. Kind of makes it harder for the people who want to do serious work on the relation between brain, psychology, and evolution.

By: Naadir Jeewa

Naadir Jeewa — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:31:15 +0000

Two reasons I think you should take it seriously, and not think it's dry humour: 1. I'm English. 2. This paper. PS: Also, this blog entry.