[ExI] Clark abstract

[samantha]

hkhenson wrote:
> At 08:22 PM 1/9/2008, you wrote:
>   
>> Lee Corbin wrote:
>>     
>>> Keith writes
>>>
>>>       
>>>> Which brings up a recursive point.  What is the
>>>> evolutionary origin of the reluctance in some
>>>> groups to make reference to ethnic or cultural
>>>> groups?
>>>>         
>>> Why ask for an EP explanation of a very recent *fashion*?
>>> Throughout most of history there has been little or no
>>> reluctance to discuss group differences.
>>>       
>> Lee makes an excellent point.  People believing in EP tend to try to use it
>> to explain every psychological behavior.  Some of them, such as this recent
>> phenomenon, don't have their roots in evolution.
>>     
>
> EP makes the claim that *every* psychological behavior has roots in 
> evolution.  Is learning (picking up new memes) a psychological 
> behavior?  Of course, and it goes way back on the mammal line as well.
>   
That seems a bit like saying "every human activity, every human thought, 
every invention, etc. have roots in evolution".    True, but so what?   
If you mean the stronger statement that *every* psychological behavior 
is adequately and accurately explained by evolutionary psychology then 
that is not at all obvious and seems quit unlikely.   Besides, all that 
is needed for EP by definition is that are aspects of our psychology 
that are due to evolution.  It is not necessary in order for EP to be a 
valid body of theory that it explain all our psychological behavior.

- samantha