[ Follow Ups ]
Posted by Sergei Atamas on April 28, 1999 at 23:04:45:
There is a book review in Science,
284(5414):589 entitled "Evolving Smarts."
The argument is built around the point of selective advantage of having good
brains. Apparently, Darwin believed that "Psychology will be based on a
new foundation, that of the necessary acquirement of each mental power and
capacity by gradation."
Wallace, of course, was not in agreement with this point of view. He believed
that the highest human capacities, such as spirituality, could not have
possibly developed by pure selection.
I think we have to distinguish between being smart and being spiritual. One can
be a smart killer, another one can be a loving idiot. I understand selection
for smartness, but is there a selection for a big heart?
It is a very speculative subject, but speculations make things interesting.