Evolutionary takes on human behavior are actually very illuminating. I find Evolutionary Psychology (EP) not useful. Much more useful IMO is gene-culture co-evolution, in which culture and genetics are parallel systems that undergo evolution and which affect each other. The mechanisms of cultural evolution are very different. Genes are transmitted via sex. Culture is transmitted by social learning. In the cultural system, by you writing this post and me reading it you are transmitting your "memes" to me. Whether or not I absorb them into my "cultural DNA" will be based on a process subject to a variety of bias. I cover this here.
You mentioned race and IQ. IQ differences between races exists and it has a real impact on people's lives. It is perhaps the most salient example of structural racism in that even hard right types acknowledge it. They of course ascribe it to biological differences which is hard to square with evolution. Cultural evolution provides a better approach IMO, which I cover here:
I'm surprised and puzzled by Bruce's not including Richard Lewontin's "Not in our Gene's" along with S. J. Gould's book. Here's a rather complete article about Richard:
Cleyet, thanks for the tip. I'm not familiar with Lewonin's writing but it sounds like he and Gould were on a similar wavelength when it came to Social Darwinism.
Evolutionary takes on human behavior are actually very illuminating. I find Evolutionary Psychology (EP) not useful. Much more useful IMO is gene-culture co-evolution, in which culture and genetics are parallel systems that undergo evolution and which affect each other. The mechanisms of cultural evolution are very different. Genes are transmitted via sex. Culture is transmitted by social learning. In the cultural system, by you writing this post and me reading it you are transmitting your "memes" to me. Whether or not I absorb them into my "cultural DNA" will be based on a process subject to a variety of bias. I cover this here.
https://mikealexander.substack.com/p/how-cultural-evolution-works
You mentioned race and IQ. IQ differences between races exists and it has a real impact on people's lives. It is perhaps the most salient example of structural racism in that even hard right types acknowledge it. They of course ascribe it to biological differences which is hard to square with evolution. Cultural evolution provides a better approach IMO, which I cover here:
https://mikealexander.substack.com/p/a-novel-take-on-group-differences
I'm surprised and puzzled by Bruce's not including Richard Lewontin's "Not in our Gene's" along with S. J. Gould's book. Here's a rather complete article about Richard:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jul/28/richard-lewontin-obituary
Perhaps he feared Lewontin's Marxism?
Cleyet, thanks for the tip. I'm not familiar with Lewonin's writing but it sounds like he and Gould were on a similar wavelength when it came to Social Darwinism.
Yes, to the extent of being co-authors on spandrels. More in the NYT’s orbit. I’ve become too dim to remember how to link the URL. Sorry.