[ExI] ep

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of
Keith Henson via extropy-chat
Sent: Sunday, July 5, 2020 2:55 PM
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Cc: Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com>
Subject: [ExI] ep

<spike at rainier66.com> wrote:

>>... Keith a comment you made earlier is rattling around in my brain.  You
commented about an paper you wrote regarding evolutionary psychology...

>...  Most people assume the "blank slate" model for humans, i.e., little or
no understanding about human motivation such as status-seeking and they do
not accept that humans have behavior switches that get flipped by external
conditions.

>>... Do elaborate on your having a hard time convincing people it is true
please.

>...I suspect that there is an evolved purposeful reluctance to insight.
Too much insight may not be good for your genes.

Keith
_______________________________________________


That worries me.  I haven't read the literature in the field and only sample
Steven Pinker who is all the rage I understand.  I don't see why the blank
slate model is popular for humans, when it is perfectly clear to me people
certainly are born with certain instincts.  That this is true is so
self-evidently obvious I am surprised it is questioned at all.

That people have behavior switches that get flipped by external conditions
must have a difficult time explaining why Germany instituted slavery and
genocide in the 1930s.

I am also worried you are right on with your comment regarding too much
insight possibly being an example of evolutionary maladaptation.

spike