Do you think that evolutionary psychology should be removed from universities?

[LoZoccolo]

[Electric Monk]

1. I'm curious, what inspired this poll?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_psychology

[guruoo]

9. Here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x79226

[Electric Monk]

10. Ah, thanks. Nice that somebody answered. Too much work for the OP to include that link, I guess.

[Renew Deal]

2. Apparently this is a real class...

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/evolutionary-psychology

[Rex]

3. Can we get a 3rd choice?

What is evolutionary psychology and why is this an issue?

[Fumesucker]

7. Some of the conclusions of Ev Psych are a long way from Politically Correct..

And there's a guy right now that's really controversial with some bullshit made up Ev Psych stuff that's pissing off a lot of people.

Ev Psych is about how human thought patterns came into being in response to evolutionary pressures.

[Rex]

8. Ah, thanks!

Now that I have an tiny scrap of information about the subject, I have mastered the entire notion of the premise...I AM COMPLETELY AGAINST IT! GET THAT SHIT OUTTA OUR SCHOOLS!

I kid, seriously what is it again? :P

[LadyHawkAZ]

4. I don't see why the entire area of study should have

to pay for Kanazawa's being such an asshole. We don't usually hold entire disciplines accountable because of one member's behavior, do we? Am I missing something?

[whoneedstickets]

5. The development of human intelligence in response...

to natural selection pressures is an entirely legitimate area of inquiry despite a few crackpots who draw unsubstantiated inferences and gather undue attention.

We humans are ultimately not that far from the 'trees' or savannah.

[RandomThoughts]

6. I posted a comment.

It was the science perspective.

The idea that much of the subconscious actually makes decisions for people. However I spent the time to prove that it was also connected across many people, there are some that think it is all science.

Basically they say when someone has a feeling of spiritual, they believe they are talking to a part of themselves.

It is more then that in what I know.


The TV show Farscape touches on that concept where 'pilot' is part of 'the living ship' and the reptile brain. Then various prisoners, are the people in that ship.

Which matches the concept that there is a reptile brain that flies the ship, and various parts of personality, or spiritual, that directs the different actions in conflict.

You can see the construct of the Farscape show as a metaphor for the existence of an individual in either scientific, or spiritual terms.

If you believe that it is all science, at the minimum you have to believe in ESP. Since there are plenty of examples outside of group think, or actions across many people.



It could be possible that a very sophisticated set of outputs to people on TV and Internet could be organized pushing of some doctrines, or subconscious making its way into shows, but there is also a connectivity between people with different life experiences, and different cultures, that can not be explained by people growing up seeing the same stuff. Although that is easier to prove a few centuries ago, it still can be shown in many ways. Science tries to explain that as genetic memory sometimes. Like people born with memories, to avoid concepts of spiritual existence.

Anyways, Farscape has that as one of its metaphors.


Give Me Strength by Over the Rhine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVbl0CulcZg



That same doctrine is discussed in Being John Malcovich.

An episode of Star Trek TNG where there is a mind with a bunch of people in it.

And the concept as a person as a Noah's arc for souls that they carry around, some that believe in ancestors by blood line like that idea.

Also a SG1 episode where a Character had many personalities put in him.

And can explain concepts of 'Captain of a ship' doctrine, where the dominate spiritual part of you is your Captain.

And a few other hundred variations of doctrines.


It can also be part of the doctrine of cleaning or helping teach spiritual things. Or can be part of the doctrine of sanctuary for spirits.

Or some would say it is something really bad like possession, or something good like inspiration.



:shrug:

It is not like the topic has not been discussed before.

[LeftishBrit]

11. No. But more rigorous standards should be applied to it

There are some evolutionary psychologists who seem not to understand some basic principles of evolution (e.g. that selection is at the level of genes, not at the level of behaviour) or basic principles of using evidence. Such people often make assumptions that anything that people do must have or have had some evolutionary advantage, and evolved specifically for that reason - and that no other evidence is needed except that the behaviour exists. Sometimes this leads to an assumption that there is nothing that anyone can or should do to modify the behaviour, and that trying to do so is 'against human nature'. The more dogmatic and simplistic evolutionary psychologists can show a remarkable similarity to creationists.

Speaking as a psychologist in a different area, I think that the standards of evolutionary psychology *might* improve if it were treated as a branch of evolutionary biology, rather than psychology - and *certainly* rather than an appropriate topic within a Department of Management (Kanazawa is a 'Reader in Management').

[johnroshan]

12. I don't think any subject should be removed from Universities.

No matter how controversial you might think it is.

[baldguy]

13. Assholes have tried to use science to justify their own prejudices for more than 1000 years

That doesn't make science any less beneficial.

[brooklynite]

14. I think we should teach creationist psychology...

After all, evolutionary psychology is just a theory.....

[LadyHawkAZ]

16. HA! +1

[seabeyond]

17. no, evolution is a theory. evolutionary psychology is a whole other animal. nt

[seabeyond]

15. i dont suggest it outed from education. challenged and debunked so our kids arent brainwashed.

i didnt realize they actually had it in colleges. no wonder their bullshit is spreading. only recently are others challenging some of these absurded guesses that are being presented as fact

[TriMera]

18. I'm an Anthropology student and

Kanazawa is a crack pot. We had an interesting discussion about him in my Evolutionary Anthropology class last semester. The person who brought the subject up was a fellow student who had problems with the class all the way through (couldn't get past their religious upbringing). My professor just laughed and told us we should stick to reading studies conducted by people like John Tooby and Leda Cosmides. To say that Kanazawa is on the fringe is too kind.

[seabeyond]

19. good to hear. i will check out those two names. am curious what the more

respected people have to say. what i generally hear are assanine studies, done with few people, questionable techniques and then conclusion.... evolution, what can we say. with no other consideration or process.

appreciate your post.

sounds like a fun major to get.