Mating Mind (was: Diamond, Miller, Gould, Darwin)

From: Robin Hanson (rhanson@gmu.edu)
Date: Thu Jun 29 2000 - 15:18:44 MDT


Spike Jones wrote:
> > > Diamond's book -- it's gotten strong pro and con reviews from
> > > people I respect, which means I ought to read it, I suppose. Put
> another
> > > round in the clip!
> >
> > Lee Daniel Crocker wrote: Add me to the "pro" side. Sure, a lot of it
is
> > pretty speculative, but good speculations can be pretty compelling...
>
>Add me to the mildly con side. Much better is The Mating Mind, by
>Geoffrey Miller, which covers some of the same ground, but the
>speculation is more compelling. ...
>I hope other extropians read this volume so we can discuss it.

I'm not sure if it is better than Diamond's book, but the Mating Mind
is very good (which I said more on at
http://www.lucifer.com/exi-lists/extropians/2756.html )

I'm right now writing a short paper based on an idea it inspired in me.
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http://hanson.gmu.edu/fairgene.html

                Is Fairness About Clear Fitness Signals?

Ordinary intuitions about "fairness" may be less than commonly assumed about
equal outcomes, and more about how well success correlates with genetic
fitness. It can thus seem fair that the most attractive witty athletic
folks to get more mates and money, but seem unfair that the rich can buy
better education for their children. Makeup can seem fair, while breast
implants seem unfair. This theory has implications for what kinds of
redistribution and genetic policies will seem fair.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin Hanson rhanson@gmu.edu http://hanson.gmu.edu
Asst. Prof. Economics, George Mason University
MSN 1D3, Carow Hall, Fairfax VA 22030
703-993-2326 FAX: 703-993-2323



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