My point was theoretical, not empirical. If you say that foragers often seem remarkably uninterested in making sacrifices for the future I’ll believe you. But I’m questioning how well we understand that data, by noting that there are some aspects of their lives where they seem to make long term investments. Maybe they just don’t have a consistent time preference, maybe it varies by type of behavior; for some areas like learning an art they evolved behaviors that respect future consequences, and for other areas like food storage they did not.
My point was theoretical, not empirical. If you say that foragers often seem remarkably uninterested in making sacrifices for the future I’ll believe you. But I’m questioning how well we understand that data, by noting that there are some aspects of their lives where they seem to make long term investments. Maybe they just don’t have a consistent time preference, maybe it varies by type of behavior; for some areas like learning an art they evolved behaviors that respect future consequences, and for other areas like food storage they did not.
Yes, of course, I will give you that. You are suggesting that “time preference” is way too global and vague a concept and I can’t disagree.
HCH