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No Magic Bullet Explains the Evolution of Unique Human Traits

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Abstract

Here I outline the argument in Kim Sterelny’s book The Evolved Apprentice. I present some worries for Sterelny from the perspective of modelers in behavioral ecology. I go on to discuss Sterelny’s approach to moral psychology and finally introduce some potential new applications for his evolved apprentice view.

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Notes

  1. This article is one of four in Biological Theory’s Colloquium on Kim Sterelny’s The Evolved Apprentice: How Evolution Made Humans Unique (2012). See also Gerrans (2013, this issue); Sterelny (2013, this issue); and Sutton (2013, this issue).

  2. Hawkes and colleagues present and defend a mathematical model of grandmothering (Kim et al. 2012) and their approach reinforces much of what I have to say here about Hawkes’ approach. Their new model is a defense of grandmothering as the most important contributor to our unique evolutionary trajectory. Also, one appropriate response to this new model would be a response in kind; an alternate model that supports Sterelny’s view that grandmothering is not enough.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Stephen M. Downes

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  1. Stephen M. Downes
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Correspondence to Stephen M. Downes.

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Colloquium on Kim Sterelny’s The Evolved Apprentice: How Evolution Made Humans Unique.

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Downes, S.M. No Magic Bullet Explains the Evolution of Unique Human Traits. Biol Theory 8, 15–19 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13752-013-0099-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13752-013-0099-x

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