Evolutionary Psychology
BackConcluding my critical psychology (for now) with a video on evolutionary psychology. In specific referring to two books: The Naked Ape and The Moral Animal.
I do not deny the role of evolution in shaping and restricting certain aspects of human behavior, but I do not think ALL behavior is reducible to evolutionary drives. I conclude with a little on memes.
Channel: Education
Uploaded: July 23, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Author: LordImmolation
Length: 00:06:58
Rating: 4.43
Views: 460
Tags: meme psychology skepticism critical nature
Video Comments:
igorkrupitsky (October 28, 2008 at 2:05 pm)
To think that humanity is no longer is bound by its genes and largely is effected by its meme is absurd. Memes like any other traits are bound by evolution. Try the following though experiment: You have two groups A and B. Group A get infected by Epicurean (celibacy) meme. Group B has an immunity it is infected by Islam meme. Over few generations group A is replaced by group B.
LordImmolation (October 28, 2008 at 2:10 pm)
I did not say (or at least mean to say) that humanity is no longer bound by genes, much can be learned from applying game theory to evolutionary strategies. Of course memes (i.e. culture) is bound by biology but (and this is the thing), culture can influence biology. e.g. the development of language
igorkrupitsky (October 28, 2008 at 4:02 pm)
LordImmolation,
Sorry I misunderstood you. Please provide a simple example of how language influences biology.
Sorry I misunderstood you. Please provide a simple example of how language influences biology.
plotinus1 (October 1, 2008 at 3:26 am)
yes definitely STRAWMAN...
Wikipedia: "Evolutionary psychologists argue that much of human behavior is generated by psychological adaptations that evolved to solve recurrent problems in human ancestral environments." Just to emphasise, it says "much" NOT "all" (as you suggest). Check more sources please (not just one author). Also, memes may be more obfuscatory to be useful.
Wikipedia: "Evolutionary psychologists argue that much of human behavior is generated by psychological adaptations that evolved to solve recurrent problems in human ancestral environments." Just to emphasise, it says "much" NOT "all" (as you suggest). Check more sources please (not just one author). Also, memes may be more obfuscatory to be useful.
sadius24 (August 23, 2008 at 3:46 am)
STRAWMAN!!!
dreaminginnoother (August 18, 2008 at 5:30 pm)
Ha, in this case they could say the mind really wants to have it's 'cock' and eat it. I guess it takes a very strong mind to overcome your own desires and societal norms, and endure persecution to be gay.
Humananimal219 (August 13, 2008 at 10:43 pm)
Also consider, "asserting that bipedalism is innate and part of human nature doesnt imply that it is a necessary condition for being human". ~~ Evolution of morality by: Richard Joyce.
Humananimal219 (August 13, 2008 at 6:34 pm)
I don't mean to over post. But must add 1 more thing. Although EP should not be used to describe all human behavior without proper evidence, some of our behaviors are shown to indeed relate to ancestral traits derived from biological evolution. Another view// it is possible that when you introduce the psychological mechanisms to variations in society, that will interfere with the mechanisms and cause a variation of normal behavior. This causes those abnormal outcomes.
Humananimal219 (August 13, 2008 at 6:20 pm)
"Yeah, humans DO have commonalities! I wasn't trying to say they don't, (memes wouldn't be able to be transfered if they didn't!). And evolution has shaped our behavior, but our behavior is not reducible to it. What makes humans great is the neural plasticity, the ability to adapt to many different situations. Understanding the role of evolution is important, but it is not the only explanation."
With that I will have to agree. Soryy I did not read it first.
With that I will have to agree. Soryy I did not read it first.
A just-so-story is 1) non-falsifiable 2) provides no predictive value. If you accept this definition, please provide an example of evolutionary psychological theory proposed by Steven Pinker, David Buss or Dawkins that falls into the just-so-story category.