The Evolution of Mind: Fundamental Questions and ControversiesSteven W. Gangestad, Jeffry A. Simpson In the past two decades, an explosion of research has generated many compelling insights--as well as hotly debated controversies--about the evolutionary bases of human nature. This important volume brings together leading proponents of different theoretical and methodological perspectives to provide a balanced look at 12 key questions at the core of the field today. In 43 concise, accessible chapters, followed by an integrative conclusion, the contributors present viewpoints informed by human behavioral ecology, evolutionary psychology, and gene-culture coevolutionary approaches. Topics include the strengths and limitations of different methodologies; metatheoretical issues; and debates concerning the evolution of the human brain, intellectual abilities, culture, and sexual behavior. |
From inside the book
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Page 5
... adaptive solutions to problems posed by the varying ecologies in which different species reside. They did so by modeling and measuring selection on phenotypes imposed by particular local ecologies. Human behavioral ecologists (also ...
... adaptive solutions to problems posed by the varying ecologies in which different species reside. They did so by modeling and measuring selection on phenotypes imposed by particular local ecologies. Human behavioral ecologists (also ...
Page 8
... Adaptive problems, therefore, are a common way in which evolutionary psychologists discuss ancestral (rather than current) selection pressures. Adaptive problems in past environments should have been numerous (problems associated with ...
... Adaptive problems, therefore, are a common way in which evolutionary psychologists discuss ancestral (rather than current) selection pressures. Adaptive problems in past environments should have been numerous (problems associated with ...
Page 11
... adaptive problems, which they believe casts doubt on evolutionary psychologists' assumptions that adaptations are modular and specialized. Third, is there any utility to examining current fitness outcomes or adaptiveness to test ...
... adaptive problems, which they believe casts doubt on evolutionary psychologists' assumptions that adaptations are modular and specialized. Third, is there any utility to examining current fitness outcomes or adaptiveness to test ...
Page 28
... adaptive problems” posed by ancestral environments “What is the proper role of formal optimality or game theoretical modeling in the study of human behavioral adaptations?” We posed this question to three sets of authors. Hillard S ...
... adaptive problems” posed by ancestral environments “What is the proper role of formal optimality or game theoretical modeling in the study of human behavioral adaptations?” We posed this question to three sets of authors. Hillard S ...
Page 33
... adaptive in relation to lineage-specific problems. For example, the designs of mammary glands differ among the three major mammalian taxa, as well as among more specific taxa of mammals, explaining why whale milk and human milk ...
... adaptive in relation to lineage-specific problems. For example, the designs of mammary glands differ among the three major mammalian taxa, as well as among more specific taxa of mammals, explaining why whale milk and human milk ...
Contents
1 | |
23 | |
PART II Fundamental Metatheoretical Issues | 145 |
PART III Debates Concerning Important Human Evolutionary Outcomes | 233 |
Whither Science of the Evolution of Mind? | 397 |
Index | 439 |
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Common terms and phrases
ability adaptationism adaptationist adaptive problems ancestral environments Anthropology apes approach argue Barrett behavioral ecologists benefits Borgerhoff Mulder Boyd Buss Byrne Cambridge causal chimpanzees cognitive mechanisms complex computational cooperation Cosmides culture Darwin developmental systems domains Dunbar ecological estrus evidence evolutionary biology evolutionary history evolutionary psychology evolved example exaptation favored fitness Flinn foraging function Gangestad genes genetic group selection hominid human behavior human behavioral ecology human brain human evolution human evolutionary human mating hunter-gatherer hypotheses important individuals inferences intelligence interactions issues Kaplan language male Mithen models modern humans modular modules natural selection Neanderthals neocortex norms one’s organisms Oxford University Press perspective phenotypic phylogenetic Pleistocene primates processes produce psychological adaptations REFERENCES relative reproductive success Richerson role selection pressures sexual selection social selection Sociobiology solve species strategies structure Thornhill tion Tooby traits understanding variation women York