[ExI] Meta was Psi in a major science journal

[Stefano Vaj]

On 21 October 2010 22:02, Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com> wrote:
> If, for example, animals (including humans) really had precognition,
> even in a weak form and it was based on physical brain structure
> expressed by genes, then it would have developed to a highly advanced
> form the way eyes did starting out as simple detectors of light and
> dark.

While psi phenomena *seem* to have and adaptive value (some degree of
precognition being the obvious example), this would require
inheritability and an effect size important enough to affect
reproductive success. Moreover, they should have developed along time,
so that they should have been the cumulative fruit of some other
non-disadaptative mutations. If this were the case, one should also
imagine limitating factors which prevented a much more widespread and
intense success of the trait...

On the other hand, even if they  were the product of evolution, they
might well be "spandrels", i.e., non-adaptative consequences of
something else.


-- 
Stefano Vaj