Large useless brain consumes a lot of energy, which means more dangerous hunting and faster consumption of supplies when food is insufficient. The relation to survival is straightforward.
Peacock tails reduce their survival chances. Even so peacocks are around. As long as the organism survives until it is capable of procreation, any survival disadvantages don’t pose an evolutionary disadvantage.
Sounds like a group selection to me. And not much in accordance with observation.
I am more inclined towards the gene selection theory, not group selection. About the only species whose delusions we can observe are ourselves. So it is difficult to come out wth any significant objective observational data.
Although I don’t believe the Jews believe in their chosenness on genetical grounds, even if they did, they aren’t much sucessful after all.
I didn’t mean Jews, I meant human species. If delusions are not genetically determined, what would be their source, from a deterministic point of view?
Peacock tails reduce their survival chances. Even so peacocks are around. As long as the organism survives until it is capable of procreation, any survival disadvantages don’t pose an evolutionary disadvantage.
Peacock tail survival disadvantage isn’t limited to post-reproduction period. In order to explain the existence of the tails, it must be shown that their positive effect is greater than the negative.
I don’t dispute that (probably large) part of the human brain’s capacity is used in the peacock-tail manner as a signal of fitness. What I say is only that having two brains of same energetic demands, the one with more correct cognition is in advantage; their signalling value is the same, so any peacock mechanism shouldn’t favour the deluded one.
This doesn’t constitute proof of the correctness of human cognition, perhaps (almost certainly) some parts of our brain’s design is wrong in a way that no single mutation can repair, like the blind spot on human retina. But the evolutionary argument for correctness can’t be dismissed as irrelevant.
If delusions presented only survival dsiadvantages and no advantages, you are right. However, that need not be the case.
The delusion about an afterlife can co-exist with correct cognition in matters affecting immediate survival and when it does, it can enhance survival chances. So evolution doesn’t automatically lead to/enhance correct cognition. I am not saying correctness plays no role, but isn’t the sole deciding factor, at least not in the case of evolutionary selection.
Peacock tails reduce their survival chances. Even so peacocks are around. As long as the organism survives until it is capable of procreation, any survival disadvantages don’t pose an evolutionary disadvantage.
I am more inclined towards the gene selection theory, not group selection. About the only species whose delusions we can observe are ourselves. So it is difficult to come out wth any significant objective observational data.
I didn’t mean Jews, I meant human species. If delusions are not genetically determined, what would be their source, from a deterministic point of view?
Peacock tail survival disadvantage isn’t limited to post-reproduction period. In order to explain the existence of the tails, it must be shown that their positive effect is greater than the negative.
I don’t dispute that (probably large) part of the human brain’s capacity is used in the peacock-tail manner as a signal of fitness. What I say is only that having two brains of same energetic demands, the one with more correct cognition is in advantage; their signalling value is the same, so any peacock mechanism shouldn’t favour the deluded one.
This doesn’t constitute proof of the correctness of human cognition, perhaps (almost certainly) some parts of our brain’s design is wrong in a way that no single mutation can repair, like the blind spot on human retina. But the evolutionary argument for correctness can’t be dismissed as irrelevant.
If delusions presented only survival dsiadvantages and no advantages, you are right. However, that need not be the case.
The delusion about an afterlife can co-exist with correct cognition in matters affecting immediate survival and when it does, it can enhance survival chances. So evolution doesn’t automatically lead to/enhance correct cognition. I am not saying correctness plays no role, but isn’t the sole deciding factor, at least not in the case of evolutionary selection.