Forum:Ev-Psych - Dependent on bad teleological explanations?

Ev-Psych: Dependent on bad teleological explanations?
Neo-Teleology
 * Robert Cummins
 * University of California, Davis
 * rcummins@ucdavis.edu

Abstract:

"Neo-teleology is the two part thesis that, e.g., (i) we have hearts because of what hearts are for: Hearts are for blood circulation, not the production of a pulse, so hearts are there (animals have them) because their function is to circulate the blood, and (ii) that (i) is explained by natural selection: traits spread through populations because of their functions. This paper attacks this popular doctrine. The presence of a biological trait or structure is not explained by appeal to its function. To suppose otherwise is to trivialize natural selection."

Full paper here: (https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/rcummins/www/HomePage/Papers/NeoTeleology.pdf)

This is an interesting paper which i am looking at as part of my own paper on evolutionary psychology, because im concerned about the impact it's conclusions have on the validity of the type of explanations ev-psych commonly offers for the existence of evolved psychological mechanisms. Orgone 03:02, 18 January 2007 (UTC)