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That entirely depends on the overall lifetime reproductive activity of each with sexual partners - and the capacity to aid sexual partners to give birth to, nourish, and bring up offspring.

Sorry, no it doesn't. All else being equal, the one who forcibly inseminates the greatest possible number of women will leave a greater number of offspring, statistically.

It's possible that the propensity to rape coincides with a lesser capacity to  aid sexual partners to give birth to, nourish, and bring up offspring -- perhaps that's what you're getting at? In which case rape would present the best chance for the loser to leave offspring. But I think it's a bit of a stretch, I'd be surprised if there were a strong correlation. Research needed.

Your question presupposes sufficient hardwiring for the "rapist" trait to be passed on to descendants. IOW, you beg the question.

We seem to have differing ideas about how evolution works. In my understanding, if some random mutation (or some other process) results in a greater propensity to rape, the only question is, does it provide a selective advantage to the bearer of the "rape gene" or not? If it does, then the gene will tend to propagate. The origin of the propensity doesn't matter -- perhaps it correlates to bravado in hunting, or intimidation of enemies, or some other selectively advantageous behaviour. Not important.

It's true that I haven't had this "nature/nurture" discussion for many years; perhaps the science has evolved a great deal. I find the notion that all humans are born (conceived) as a blank slate to be a rather quaint, romantic one (which I am probably mis-representing). Decades ago, I probably subscribed to it.

Since then, I have had two children.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Thu Dec 30th, 2010 at 12:56:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The nature/nurture argument belongs in a trash can along with the Blank Slate Thesis.

As far as "A Gene" causing "A Behavior" I only need to fall back on the old bromide: Correlation is not Causation.  Studies have shown children having a genetic inheritance of schizophrenic do have a higher incidence of developing schizophrenia than the population but they also have a higher incidence when the child does NOT have a genetic inheritance but one, or both, of their adopting parents are schizophrenic.  The highest incidence of a child developing schizophrenia is, as one might expect, when the child has the genetic inheritance and one, or both, of the parents is schizophrenic.

But these studies confirm only a statistical higher incidence of schizophrenia in these children, not a 1:1 correlation.  A child may have the genetic inheritance, may be in a schizophrenic environment, and not develop the disease.

And some children may not have the genetic inheritance, may not have been raised in a schizophrenic environment, and develop the disease.

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Thu Dec 30th, 2010 at 02:13:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
eurogreen:
the notion that all humans are born (conceived) as a blank slate to be a rather quaint, romantic one (which I am probably mis-representing)

If you suppose that that is the idea I was putting forward, you are certainly misrepresenting. As in, big strawman.

But what-ho, you're doing well on the quaint side with your entirely speculative two-blokes-one-who-rapes-one-who-doesn't. Good luck with it.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 30th, 2010 at 02:44:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
... I must have missed it.

It's perfectly reasonable to differ with those who propose hardwired traits

is the idea I guess. Insofar as you seem to oppose the idea that there might be a genetic predisposition to rape, I foolishly imagined that you were proposing that it was an exclusively acquired behaviour.

Your point of view must be something different, then. I will refrain from speculating on what it might be.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Thu Dec 30th, 2010 at 06:18:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Fine capacity you have for truncated quotes and building strawmen.

A hardwired trait?

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Dec 31st, 2010 at 02:23:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]
May I suggest that this discussion passed the ET signal to noise threshold a couple of posts ago? In the wrong direction.

- Jake

Austerity can only be implemented in the shadow of a concentration camp.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Fri Dec 31st, 2010 at 06:27:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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