Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site randvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!randvax!edhall From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Only a few nuts rape? Message-ID: <2176@randvax.UUCP> Date: Thu, 6-Dec-84 13:49:39 EST Article-I.D.: randvax.2176 Posted: Thu Dec 6 13:49:39 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 9-Dec-84 03:38:36 EST References: <10011@watmath.UUCP> <136@ihu1m.UUCP>, <10054@watmath.UUCP> <8162@watarts.UUCP>, <63@timeinc.UUCP> <8164@watarts.UUCP> Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica Lines: 36 > Bullshit, YOU HOPE. It seems to me that men who raped would have > spread more genes around than others. Bullshit, I hope, but not > I believe. > > Carlo @ the U of Waterloo This is a very simplistic and naive view of evolution. Reproduction is the easy part; the key to natural selection is the ability for ones offspring to survive. Early man formed groups, much like what modern man does on a larger scale. Natural selection would work towards modes of behavior that increase group cohesion, and NOT just towards brute-force reproduction. A group that practiced violent behavior against some of its members would likely demoralize and splinter, and its chances for survival would be reduced. It all gets a lot more complicated. I've heard the theory that the advent of organized force (i.e. armies), in which one group overcomes another, meant that the successful invaders would rape and pillage and the children of those rapes would continue the violent tendencies of their fathers. There is a falacy here; such warrior-children would be more likely to get themselves killed in similar exploits, while the real advantage goes to the more peaceful members of the invading group who are more likely to survive and settle the conquered territory. I'm certainly no expert in prehistoric anthropology, or evolutionary biology. But I think I know enough to see that there is little reason to believe that sexual violence would bestow an evolutionary advantage. On the other hand, a certain amount of sexual aggressiveness would definitely be advantageous--in both sexes. And if you don't know why aggressiveness is NOT the same as violence, there is little hope for you... but I'll try explaining it anyway. -Ed Hall decvax!randvax!edhall