Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!ucbvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-vaxuum!dyer From: dyer@vaxuum.DEC (This did not happen to/Pablo Picasso) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Innate Sexual Differences Message-ID: <3622@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Wed, 14-Aug-85 15:17:09 EDT Article-I.D.: decwrl.3622 Posted: Wed Aug 14 15:17:09 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 19-Aug-85 07:10:18 EDT Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 34 Innate Sexual Differences_______________________________________________________ > The fact is, that only those who have experienced both sets of hormones can > reasonably make any valid observations about what differences between the > sexes are hormonally based. The experiences alone will not yield valid observations. There are many other variables to consider, and a good number of them are only experienced sub- jectively. On top of that, it's common (in this society, at least) to assume that something occurring subconsciously is based on biology. We have to be *very* careful before declaring *anything* biologically innate. You hear people say things like "it's human nature," and "that's what the male of the species wants." People behave a certain way, construct ideolo- gies a certain way, or design policies a certain way based on such notions. Where do these notions come from? Some from the subconscious: people mistaking cultural influences for biological ones. Some come from half-assed studies with poor controls and a million ignored variables, often concluding (incorrectly) that the (usually male) scientist's hypothesis (itself derived subconsciously from cultural influences) is 100% USDA Certified Eternal Scien- tific Truth. I don't wish to condemn Sunny's experiences as worthless, they are not. But I must point out that the experiences alone will not yield valid insights into innate sexual differences. <_Jym_> :::::::::::::::: Jym Dyer ::::' :: `:::: Dracut, Massachusetts ::' :: `:: :: :: :: DYER%VAXUUM.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA :: .::::. :: {allegra|decvax|ihnp4|ucbvax}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-vaxuum!dyer ::..:' :: `:..:: ::::. :: .:::: Statements made in this article are my own; they might not :::::::::::::::: reflect the views of |d|i|g|i|t|a|l| Equipment Corporation.