Re: political correctness according to Hugo de Garis

James Rogers (jamesr@best.com)
Mon, 13 Jan 1997 02:50:03 -0800


At 02:09 AM 1/12/97 +0000, Kathryn Aegis wrote:
>Peter McCluskey:
>>Irwin Silverman and Marion Eals, in a paper in _The Adapted Mind_ (ed.
>>by Barkow, Cosmides and Tooby), assumed that the differences in cognitive
>>abilities between the sexes were a result of specializations for hunting
>>in men and foraging in women.
>
>And there are plenty of citations to nullify that hypothesis as well.
>_The Descent of Woman_ lays out several theories, and one could point
>to Estioko-Griffin's 'Daughters of the Forest', an anthropological study
>of the warrior/hunter women of the Agta tribe of the Sierra Madra.
>Not to mention the seeming lack of gender role division in New
>Zealand tribes and the pioneer societies of Early America.

Nonetheless, these examples appear anecdotal when set next to the multitude
of cultural examples that support the position of _The Adapted Mind_. Based
on evidence available, I would be more inclined to question why this pattern
emerges rather than whether or not the pattern exists.

Also, I would be hesitant to include the pioneer societies of Early America
as an example of equal cognitive role abilities. This particular example is
too short-term to be of significance in a phenomenon that has thousands and
possibly millions of years of history. I would say that it simply
demonstrates the general adaptability of the human mind. History is
peppered with instances where traditional roles have been reversed for short
periods of time. Usually these instances are driven by and associated with
times of hardship and desperation.

-James Rogers
jamesr@best.com