The Seven Sins of Evolutionary Psychology - Konrad Lorenz Institute

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Ullica SegerstråleThe PANKSEPPs, with MACLEAN and his triunebrain, and WILSON (in Sociobiology) see emotions asprimary, because of the evolutionary history of thebrain. Still, nonverbal capabilities appear to be atthe same time emotional and cognitive. And thismay eventually help open the door for a synthesisbetween cognitive and affective neuroscience.In general, then, why not relax the modularityidea, concentrate on a few indisputable ones, andpostulate different degrees of hardwiredness for differenthuman capabilities based on the best availableempirical studies across a variety of fields, whileleaving space also for general, undifferentiatedlearning programs? Also, why not keep the questionopen as to where exactly some of these circuits arelocated and how big these modules are. (Perhapseven MACLEAN’s various brains can be seen as modules?)The important thing would seem to be to beable to pool ideas from a variety of fields: cognitiveand affective neuroscience, and a wide spectrum ofinterdisciplinary nonverbal research. That kind ofapproach would seem to go toward TOOBY andCOSMIDES–style consistency across scientific fields,‘consilience’ of the William WHEWELL type (simultaneoussupport for an idea from many fields of science)and may be even E. O. WILSON type ‘consilience’(unity of science) (WILSON 1998).Unfortunately there is a real obstacle to mutuallybeneficial cooperation between scientists from differentdisciplines. Interdisciplinary efforts may givethem no credit—on the contrary, they may be ostracizedby their ‘home’ discipline, particularly if theyare regarded as breaking certain long-standing taboos.But perhaps affective neuroscienceneeds to rethink itscriticism somewhat. Whatevermodules ‘really’ are, andhow many ‘really’ exist, thebasic theoretical contributionsof the evolutionary psychologistsare interesting andAuthor’s addressUllica Segerstråle, Department of SocialSciences, Illinois Institute of Technology,Suite 116, Siegel Hall, 3301 South DearbornStreet, Chicago IL 60616, USA.Email: segerstrale@iit.educan in principle open up new fruitful avenues of researchin other fields—including affective neuroscience.This kind of importation into one field ofideas from another is a well-known device for scientificgrowth—after all, it was physicists rather thangeneticists that created the new field of molecularbiology. What the possibilities are for a field to stimulateanother at a particular time is dependent onthe availability of individuals and their visions andambitions. Fields develop according to concrete opportunitiesperceived and particular initiativestaken—not according to how they ‘ought to’ developfrom some abstract scientific point of view.Finally, we should not forget that evolutionarypsychology is an evolving research program. There arealready signs that the evolutionary psychologists arebacking off somewhat from their initial militancy.For instance, in COSMIDES and TOOBY’s recent primerthe assumption of the Environment of EvolutionaryAdaptation seems to be relaxed, the assumption ofmodularity looks less massive, and epigenesis is moreexplicitly factored in. Emotions, too, are increasinglybrought in, a potential harbinger of the next step ofthe evolving program of evolutionary psychology. Ifthis kind of rapprochement between the evolutionarypsychologists and their critics is taking place, it isonly something that is typical of science. Indeed, inthe future, we may expect both (all?) sides to integratesome of their opponents’ arguments into theirown explanatory frameworks—without necessarilygiving their critics explicit credit. We may even see aconvergence between seemingly totally opposed positions(remember the DARWINISTS and MENDELIANSfighting each other only to beunited in the Modern Synthesis?).But if and when thishappens, we will probably nothave a synthesis with big fanfare.Academia being what itis, both sides are likely toclaim victory and get out.Notes1 While they sharply resisted this kind of research in cognitiveabilities, the critics expressed interest in finding outabout cognitive traits.2 On this topic in 1997 GOULD (1997c) got himself involvedin a furious dispute with Steven PINKER (1997b) on the pagesof The New York Review of Books.3 WILSON thinks evolutionary psychology is “the same” associobiology (personal communication), and so doesDAWKINS.4 Something that WILSON was challenged into doing by criticswho said that he did not address human variation.5 Note, however, that although her arguments supportsthat of our authors, she is actually citing data from imagingprocesses which the PANKSEPPs may consider unreliable!6 KARMILOFF-SMITH herself believes a regulatory approach ismore likely to reach the complexity required by corticalfunctions. She suggests, however, that a deterministic viewof development could be applicable to other parts of thebrain.Evolution and Cognition ❘ 12 ❘ 2001, Vol. 7, No. 1
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Page 1 and 2: ContentsEvolutionary Psychology: An
Page 3 and 4: A Synopsis of “The Sevens Sins of
Page 5 and 6: A Synopsis of “The Sevens Sins of
Page 7 and 8: Minding the Brainon the basis of re
Page 9 and 10: Minding the Brainamong bona fide et
Page 11: Minding the Brainin their language
Page 15: “La plus ça change…”simple c
Page 18 and 19: Linda MealeyReferencesAlcock, J. (1
Page 20 and 21: Carlos StegmannComments on Jaak Pan
Page 22 and 23: Carlos Stegmanntive mechanisms. Mos
Page 24 and 25: Carlos StegmannReferencesCarnap, R.
Page 26 and 27: Russell Gardner, Jr.these subcortic
Page 28 and 29: Russell Gardner, Jr.The enormous sw
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Page 32 and 33: Gerhard Meisenbergmodular systems a
Page 34 and 35: Gerhard Meisenbergstraight into the
Page 36 and 37: Gerhard Meisenbergcan assume new fu
Page 38 and 39: Gerhard MeisenbergNishimura, H./Has
Page 40 and 41: Ian Pitchfordother biological resou
Page 42 and 43: Ian Pitchfordappreciation that the
Page 44 and 45: Ian Pitchfordin developmental psych
Page 46 and 47: Scott AtranThe Case for Modularity:
Page 48 and 49: Scott Atranvant domain. For example
Page 50 and 51: Scott Atranpalm lines. From the fac
Page 52 and 53: Scott Atrangroups of species: snake
Page 54 and 55: Scott AtranLittle by little, biolog
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Jaak Panksepp and Jules B. Panksepp
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Shulamith Kreitlertion—he said on
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Shulamith Kreitlercognitive process
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Shulamith KreitlerBeliefs about Sel
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Shulamith KreitlerInterpersonally-s
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Shulamith Kreitlercreased complexit
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Shulamith Kreitlerof plasticity. At
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Shulamith Kreitlerdevelopmental lev
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Shulamith KreitlerKreitler, S./Chem
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Chris MacDonaldEvolutionary EthicsV
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Chris MacDonaldand… the goods of
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Chris MacDonaldMexyzYoux y z0 1 30
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