[Paleopsych] Evolutionary / Man and society

[Steve Hovland]

Unintended negative consequences are not an adequate
argument for the complete abolition of welfare.

They are an argument for inspection to prevent
abuses and for adjustments to the system when
negative unintended consequences manifest.

There can also be good unintended consequences
from any action.  One might invest a small amount
of money in an unknown company and have it
turn into Microsoft.

Steve Hovland
www.stevehovland.net


-----Original Message-----
From:	Lynn D. Johnson, Ph.D. [SMTP:ljohnson at solution-consulting.com]
Sent:	Monday, January 17, 2005 8:21 AM
To:	The new improved paleopsych list
Subject:	Re: [Paleopsych] Evolutionary / Man and society

Here is a nice example of unintended consequences of a welfare state:
http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110006165

The problem is systemic - perverse reward systems create perverse 
behavior. Rolf is simply responding to the rewards offered.
Lynn

Hannes Eisler wrote:

> The discussion seems somewhat odd to me. One has to distinguish 
> between man's, let's say, inborn, dispositions, and man's behavior. 
> The first hardly can be changed by environmental (or political) 
> influence (here we have marxism's  big mistake), but the latter can. A 
> society works with rewards (reinforcement) and punishment to achieve 
> its aims, whatever they may be. Also sensitivity to reinforcement is 
> inborn; more complicated is to establish what is working as a 
> reinforcer for whom.


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