Biology
How bad is it?
“Of course social scientists have no objection to applying evolutionary theory in the life sciences—biology, zoology, botany, etc. Nevertheless, the idea of applying evolutionary thinking to social science problems commonly evokes strong negative reactions. In effect, social scientists treat the life sciences as enclosed within a kind of impermeable wall. Inside the wall, evolutionary thinking is deemed capable of producing powerful and astonishing truths. Outside the wall, in the realm of human behavior, applications of evolutionary thinking are typically treated as irrelevant at best; usually as pernicious, wrong, and downright dangerous.”
- Ian Lustick 2005
http://io9.com/the-mice-in-florida-prove-the-antievolutionists-in-flor-1659961477
https://youtu.be/plVk4NVIUh8
Watching the power of evolution in action
How to respond when someone uses scientific theory to justify reprehensible acts?
- Question the facts
- Do the facts justify the acts?
- Or just declare the theory off-limits
Take a guess
- Why do we like fast food sooooo much?
- Why do deer run in front of cars like that?
- Allergies
- Wisdom teeth
- Morning sickness
- Infanticide
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- War, and Altruism
- Cancer
- Teenage pregnancy
Variation
Individuals vary in their traits (speed, height, shyness, boldness).
Consequences
Individuals possessing certain traits survive and reproduce better than others.
Heritability
Offspring resemble parents in these qualities.
Traits that confer an advantage will increase in frequency over time
Kettlewell, H. B. D. (1955) Heredity 9, 323-342.
What's the big deal?
Daly, M., Wilson, M. (1994). The “Cinderella effect”: Elevated mistreatment of stepchildren in comparison to those living with genetic parents.
“In several countries, stepparents beat very young children to death at per capita rates that are more than 100 times higher than the corresponding rates for genetic parents”
Take a guess
- Why do we like fast food sooooo much?
- Why do deer run in front of cars like that?
- Allergies
- Wisdom teeth
- Morning sickness
- Infanticide
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- War, and Altruism
- Cancer
- Teenage pregnancy
Social Darwinism
Eugenics
Genocide
Selfishness Cheating
“…morality gives but a slight or no advantage to each individual man…of the same tribe, yet…an advancement in the standard of morality will certainly give an immense advantage to one tribe over another…and this would be natural selection.”
-Charles Darwin
The Descent of Man (1871)
Muir, W.M. Group selection for adaptations to multiple-hen cages: selection program and direct responses. Poultry Sci., 1996, 75: 447-458
Within-group results
The most productive individuals had achieved their success by suppressing the productivity of their cage mates.
Between-group results
160% increase in egg production