[ExI] evolution and crazy thinking

[Spike Jones]

From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of William Flynn Wallace
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2018 8:10 AM
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Subject: [ExI] evolution and crazy thinking

 

>…Pondering for the nth time about why humans got so far with all the crazy, illogical cognitive gadgets that inhabit our forebrains.  I have repeatedly mentioned to this group the cognitive errors or biases listed in Wikipedia.

 

…

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases

 

…>bill w

 

 

Billw, cog biases can be explained using evolutionary psychology, but one needs to call upon the controversial notion of group selection.  Strong arguments have been promoted that evolution only works on the individual level.  I would argue that to explain easily-verifiable observations, such as cognitive biases, we must acknowledge that evolutionary selection does work at the group level, not just families, but particularly there.

 

Clarification: group selection works in those species which do work as groups.  Alligators and flies and such: not.  Lions, bees, orcas, humans, yes.  Humans compete against other species, against other tribes, against each other and compete at the gene level.  If common cog biases somehow benefit the tribe, or the species, or promotes copulation (even at the expense of the individual) it can explain why they persist in humans.

 

spike

 

 

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