Re: Evolution and Sexuality

From: Cornah, Deborah (DEBCO92@psy.soton.ac.uk)
Date: Thu Mar 16 1995 - 08:45:37 GMT


Hi.
Yes, I know this sex thing's kinda getting out of control, but a
small thought for you....

In last week's lecture, Stevan was pondering why homosexuals haven't
"priced themselves out of the market", so to speak. Whilst I'm sure he
does have an explanation, surely he already answered it himself earlier
in the lecture. That is, adaptation occurs when there's a change in the
environment that provides some individuals with an increased chance of
survival, thus eliminating those who don't have that particular
advantage.

Well, maybe its just that, as yet, the environment neither favours nor
dislikes individuals who prefer to have homosexual sex? Yes. I KNOW
that distally, homosexuality is difficult to explain, BUT let's not
forget that Darwin also blessed us with the ability to think and
reason. That's why I said "prefer": we can choose to act against the
distal influences of our behaviour, in order to fulfil the proximal
desires, and why not?

By the way, is it not so that many homosexuals also enjoy heterosexual
sex? So if you really must have a Darwinian explanation, there it is.

Personally, I'm not sure such debates actually do a lot to further the
progression of our species, so on the question about what should and
shouldn't be published, I do respect freedom of speech, but when does
sociobiological (and other) research stop providing USEFUL insights
into the nature of human behaviour? What ARE our aims as psychologists?



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