The human brain also has the complicating factor of memes and what might be called “inclusive memetic fitness.” If you hypothesize that human behavior is influenced by two different sets of selfish replicators, we could certainly have an equilibrium in which natural selection doesn’t produce behavior that maximizes the fitness of only one of them. (Incidentally, does it seem to anyone else that humans are “designed” to have unwanted pregnancies?)
(Also, “The Mote In God’s Eye” isn’t necessarily the best example. The Moties aren’t specifically motivated by the desire to maximize inclusive genetic fitness, but their biology requires them to reproduce as much as possible whether their brains think they should or not. “Protector” might be a better choice, as it describes highly intelligent individuals that have maximizing the reproductive success of their offspring as their primary conscious motivation.)
Unwanted pregnancies and ‘Unwanted pregnancies’, if one cannot tell the difference, maybe it is because it is starting to disappear. I mean, theoretically we should tend more and more towards “oops, I forgot to take my pill today” and “Oh, don’t worry, just this one time without a condom”
About the equelibrium between two sets of replicators. Awesome as it looks, it doesn’t seem feasible from a game theoretical point of view. We are not the product of two replicators, we are the product of two KINDS of replicators. Each replicator, gene or meme, is fighting his own fight, and will not necessarily coalesce only with his kind. They are not tribes fighting one another, I suggest this is an atypical occurence of Mind Projection Fallacy.
If there weren’t people who had a strong desire, not just for sex, but to actually have a child, and a willingness to go to extreme measures to do so, then sperm banks wouldn’t be a thing.
Given the number of people who specifically, and openly desire to make babies, postulating a subconscious desire that might push them to “forget” their contraception isn’t unreasonable. Especially given that cycle timing and coitus interruptus have been staples of human sexual behaviour since… Well… At least as far back as we have any records about such things. Dawn of civilization.
The two sets of replicators reminds me of an article I read about a species of birds that seems to be splitting into effectively four sexes. Male and female, but then also coloring patterns that have formed a stable loop that alternates back and forth. If the loop were unstable they’d split into two species, but it alternates generations regularly, so they keep mixing, but in a pattern of four.
The human brain also has the complicating factor of memes and what might be called “inclusive memetic fitness.” If you hypothesize that human behavior is influenced by two different sets of selfish replicators, we could certainly have an equilibrium in which natural selection doesn’t produce behavior that maximizes the fitness of only one of them. (Incidentally, does it seem to anyone else that humans are “designed” to have unwanted pregnancies?)
(Also, “The Mote In God’s Eye” isn’t necessarily the best example. The Moties aren’t specifically motivated by the desire to maximize inclusive genetic fitness, but their biology requires them to reproduce as much as possible whether their brains think they should or not. “Protector” might be a better choice, as it describes highly intelligent individuals that have maximizing the reproductive success of their offspring as their primary conscious motivation.)
Unwanted pregnancies and ‘Unwanted pregnancies’, if one cannot tell the difference, maybe it is because it is starting to disappear. I mean, theoretically we should tend more and more towards “oops, I forgot to take my pill today” and “Oh, don’t worry, just this one time without a condom”
About the equelibrium between two sets of replicators. Awesome as it looks, it doesn’t seem feasible from a game theoretical point of view. We are not the product of two replicators, we are the product of two KINDS of replicators. Each replicator, gene or meme, is fighting his own fight, and will not necessarily coalesce only with his kind. They are not tribes fighting one another, I suggest this is an atypical occurence of Mind Projection Fallacy.
If there weren’t people who had a strong desire, not just for sex, but to actually have a child, and a willingness to go to extreme measures to do so, then sperm banks wouldn’t be a thing.
Given the number of people who specifically, and openly desire to make babies, postulating a subconscious desire that might push them to “forget” their contraception isn’t unreasonable. Especially given that cycle timing and coitus interruptus have been staples of human sexual behaviour since… Well… At least as far back as we have any records about such things. Dawn of civilization.
The two sets of replicators reminds me of an article I read about a species of birds that seems to be splitting into effectively four sexes. Male and female, but then also coloring patterns that have formed a stable loop that alternates back and forth. If the loop were unstable they’d split into two species, but it alternates generations regularly, so they keep mixing, but in a pattern of four.