[ExI] [GRG] NewAbs: The Phenotype of IQ is Polygenic x 1, 000 Genes

[Damien Broderick]

On 8/12/2011 9:29 AM, BillK wrote:

> if most people die (by whatever means) by their 30s, then
> evolution has no chance to develop enhanced characteristics for the
> 70s and over age group. Evolution will enhance the attributes that
> suit a live fast, die young population.

But did "most people die" by their 30s? It's not even clear to me that 
most babies died in infancy in our small group roaming-band EEA--without 
hospitals, much less puerperal fever? less contagion?--and if some 
proportion will live into their 50s, 60s, 70s, even older, and serve a 
useful function conducing to the well-being of their kin, that's all you 
need. Dead children, in any case, don't contribute to the gene pool 
(except perhaps by removing bearers of deleterious genes, and taking 
some pressure off better-equipped siblings). Anyway, we are a K- not 
r-selected species, exactly NOT "live fast, die young".

Damien Broderick