Homo Novus - A Human Without Illusions (eBook)

Ulrich Frey (philosophy), Charlotte Störmer and Kai Willführ (biology) work in an interdisciplinary research group at the University of Giessen, applying evolutionary theory to a broad range of fields. The following authors contributed to the chapters of this book: Kurt Bayertz, Athanasios Chasiotis, Robin Dunbar, Harald A. Euler, Detlef Fetchenhauer, Julia Fischer, Bernulf Kanitscheider, Chris Knight, Virpi Lummaa, Amy R. Parish, Julia Pradel, Gerhard Roth, Wulf Schiefenhövel, Rebecca Sear, Volker Sommer and Gerhard Vollmer.

Preface 7
Contents 9
Contributors 14
1 Introduction 16
Ulrich J. Frey, Charlotte Störmer, and Kai P. Willführ 16
Illusion Number 1 Humans Are Exceptional 20
2 The Position of Man in the Cosmos 21
Bernulf Kanitscheider 21
2.1 Historical Precursors 21
2.2 The Standard Concordance Model 22
2.3 Speculative Hypotheses on the High Energy Realm 25
2.4 The Challenge of Quantum Cosmology 26
2.5 The Intricacies of Infinity 27
2.6 Taming the Unfathomable 29
2.7 Conclusion 30
References 31
3 Living Differences 33
The Paradigm of Animal Cultures 33
Volker Sommer and Amy R. Parish 33
3.1 What We Do and Monkeys Don’t 34
3.2 How to Join the Culture Club 35
3.3 Culture as the Way We Do Things 38
3.4 Multiculturalism Amongst Animals 40
3.5 Panthropology 42
3.6 Cultural Capacity: Blessing and Curse 44
References 45
4 Nothing to Talk About 48
On the Linguistic Abilities of Nonhuman Primates (And Some Other Animal Species) 48
Julia Fischer 48
4.1 A Very Old Question 48
4.2 Design Features of Speech 49
4.3 Semantics in Nonhuman Primate Communication 50
4.4 Call Production 51
4.5 Vocal Plasticity 51
4.6 Call Comprehension 52
4.7 Fast Mapping in a Domestic Dog 53
4.8 Recursive Syntactic Patterns 54
4.9 Gestural Communication 56
4.10 Outlook 57
References 58
Illusion Number 2 We Are Independent of Our Sociobiological Roots 62
5 The True Egoist Is Cooperative 63
Ethical Problems Seen Against a Background of Evolutionary Biology, Behavioral Research, and Sociobiology 63
Christian Vogel 63
5.1 Introduction 63
5.2 "Normative Biologism" as a Hazard 64
5.3 Social Darwinism 64
5.4 Classical German Ethology 66
5.5 Morally Analogous Behavior 68
5.6 Normative Consequences 69
5.7 First Objections 70
5.8 Sociobiology 71
5.9 Inclusive Fitness 72
5.10 Reciprocal Altruism 72
5.11 What Does This Mean for Us? 73
References 75
6 The Social Brain and Its Implications 76
Robin Dunbar 76
6.1 Introduction 76
6.2 The Social Brain Hypothesis 77
6.3 The Bonding Problem in Human Communities 83
6.4 Cognitive Afterword 86
References 86
7 Why Most Theories Get It Wrong 89
Altruistic Intentions as an Explanation of the Evolution of Genuine Altruism 89
Julia Pradel and Detlef Fetchenhauer 89
7.1 Why Most Theories Get It Wrong: Altruistic Intentions as an Explanation of the Evolution of Genuine Altruism 89
7.2 Solving the Paradox of Altruism 90
7.2.1 The Initial Perspective: In the Very End, Every Altruistic Act Comes Down to Evolutionary Selfishness 90
7.2.2 The New Perspective: Genuine Altruism Does Exist 92
7.3 Evidence for the Solution of the Paradox of Altruism 96
7.3.1 Altruists and Egoists Are Distinguishable 96
7.3.2 Altruists Elect Like-Minded Individuals for Mutual Cooperation 98
7.4 Conclusion 99
References 101
Illusion Number 3 The Biological Imperative Doesn't Matter to Us 103
8 Mortality Crises and Their Consequences for Human Life Histories 104
Charlotte Störmer and Kai P. Willführ 104
8.1 Life History Theory and the Illusion of Unconstrained Life Planning 104
8.2 Introduction 105
8.3 Empirical Data 106
8.4 Hypothesis 107
8.5 Discussion 111
8.6 Outlook 115
References 116
9 Costs and Consequences of Reproduction 119
Virpi Lummaa 119
9.1 Introduction 119
9.2 Immediate and Delayed Effects of Reproduction on Survival 121
9.3 Costs of Reproduction to Future Breeding Success 124
9.4 Costs of Reproduction with Age 125
9.5 Costs of Reproduction Across Environments 125
9.6 The Genetic Basis for Costs of Reproduction Across Ages and Environments 127
9.7 Conclusions 129
References 130
10 Height and Reproductive Success 135
Is Bigger Always Better? 135
Rebecca Sear 135
10.1 Introduction 135
10.2 A Survey of Height and Correlates of Reproductive Success in Adulthood 137
10.2.1 Height and Adult Mortality 137
10.2.2 Height and Mating Success 140
10.2.3 Height and Fertility Outcomes 142
10.2.4 Height and Reproductive Success 144
10.3 Conclusion 145
References 147
Illusion Number 4 The Past Doesn’t Echo in Our Heads 152
11 Developmental Psychology Without Dualistic Illusions 153
Why We Need Evolutionary Biology to Understand Developmental Psychology 153
Athanasios Chasiotis 153
11.1 The Implicit Dualism in Psychology 153
11.2 Evolutionary Developmental Psychology as an Environmentalist Discipline 155
11.3 Childhood as a Sensitive Period 157
11.3.1 Pubertal Timing 158
11.3.2 Parenting Motivation 159
11.3.3 Social Values 160
11.3.4 Autobiographical Memory 160
11.3.5 Childhood Context Explains Cultural Differences 161
11.4 Conclusion: A Developmental Psychology Without Dualistic Illusions 161
References 163
12 The Psychology of Families 167
Harald A. Euler 167
12.1 The Illusion of Gender Sameness 169
12.1.1 Sex Differences in Mating 171
12.1.2 Sex Differences in Parenting 173
12.1.3 Sex Differences in Grandparenting 174
12.1.4 Sex Differences in In-Laws 177
12.1.5 Sex Differences in Extended Family Relationships 177
12.2 The Illusion of Family Socialization 178
12.3 Conclusion 181
References 182
Illusion Number 5 Moral, Religion and Culture Are Social Constructions 186
13 Moral Normativity Is (Naturally) Grown 187
Kurt Bayertz 187
13.1 Introduction 187
13.2 From “Volition” to “Ought” 188
13.3 Digression on Moral Reasoning 190
13.4 Exteriorization and Interiorization 191
13.5 Do Norms Matter? 194
References 195
14 The Origins of Symbolic Culture 196
Chris Knight 196
14.1 Two Kinds of Fact 197
14.2 Four Positions on the Origins of Symbolic Culture 197
14.3 The Archaeological Evidence 198
14.4 Explanatory Scenarios 199
14.5 Costly Versus Cheap Signals: Cooperation Between Strangers 200
14.6 Symbolism: Puzzles and Paradoxes 201
14.7 Counterdominance, Egalitarianism, and Collective Intentionality 204
14.8 Dominance and Reverse Dominance 205
14.9 Female Coalitionary Strategies 207
14.10 On Cooperative Breeding 208
14.11 Sex and Symbolism 210
14.12 Conclusion 211
References 212
15 Belief in Melanesia 215
Wulf Schiefenhövel 215
15.1 Case History: Death of an Eipo Man 216
15.2 Health and Wellbeing as a Goal: The Juncture Between Extra-Human Powers and an Incipient Juridicial System 218
15.3 ''Black Magic'' a Possible Second System of Ensuring Norm-Oriented Behavior 220
15.4 Healing, a Religious Domain 222
15.5 Religion as Stress Reduction 225
15.6 Religion as a Mechanism to Manage Drastic Cultural Change 226
References 228
Illusion Number 6 We Are Free in What We Want 230
16 Free Will 231
Insights from Neurobiology 231
Gerhard Roth 231
16.1 Introduction 231
16.2 The Experimental Proof of Freedom of Will 234
16.2.1 The Neurobiology of Voluntary Actions 234
16.2.2 Libet's Experiment and Its Consequences 237
16.3 Determinism of Motives 239
16.4 How Does the Feeling of ''Freely'' Deciding Arise? 240
16.5 What Follows from All This for the Concept of Free Will? 242
References 244
17 Could I Have Done Otherwise? 246
Naturalism, Free Will, and Responsibility 246
Gerhard Vollmer 246
17.1 What Do We Want to Mean by Naturalism? 246
17.2 Why Responsibility? 248
17.3 On the Special Character of Explications 249
17.4 What Do We Want to Mean by Responsibility? 250
17.5 Why Is the Problem of Free Will Relevant? 251
17.6 What Do We Want to Mean by Free Will? 253
17.7 Do We Have This Kind of Free Will? 254
17.8 What Should We Do If There Is No Free Will? 255
17.9 Punishment and Responsibility in a Deterministic World 256
References 257
Epilogue 259
18 Modern Illusions of Humankind 260
Ulrich J. Frey 260
18.1 Destroyed Illusions 260
18.1.1 Intuitions Versus Science 260
18.1.2 Illusions and Insults 261
18.2 Illusion 1: Humans are Exceptionally Exceptional 263
18.2.1 Description of Illusion 263
18.2.2 Why Is It an Illusion? 264
18.2.3 Why Do We Have This Illusion? 265
18.2.4 Resistance 266
18.2.5 Reasons for Resistance 267
18.3 Illusions 2, 3, 4: We Are Independent of Our Sociobiological Roots 268
18.3.1 Description of Illusions 268
18.3.2 Why Are They Illusions? 269
18.3.3 Why Do We Have These Illusions? 271
18.3.4 Resistance 272
18.3.5 Reasons for Resistance 273
18.4 Illusion 5: Cultural Achievements Are Purely Social Constructions 274
18.4.1 Description of Illusion 274
18.4.2 Why Is It an Illusion? 275
18.4.3 Why Do We Have This Illusion? 276
18.4.4 Resistance 277
18.4.5 Reasons for Resistance 277
18.5 Illusion 6: We Are Free in What We Want 278
18.5.1 Description of Illusion 278
18.5.2 Why Is It an Illusion? 278
18.5.3 Why Do We Have This Illusion? 279
18.5.4 Resistance 279
18.5.5 Reasons for Resistance 280
18.6 Conclusion 280
References 281
Index 286