SEX By: Ronald F. White, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy College of Mount St. Joseph

Introduction Explaining, Predicting, and Controlling Sex –Judeo-Christian –Western Liberal –Social Science Tabula Rasa Behaviorism Teaching and Learning (guns and dolls) –Sociobiology

From Sociobiology to Evolutionary Psychology Early Pioneers Sociobiology –Edward O. Wilson, Human Nature –Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene Evolutionary Psychology –Tooby and Wilson, Homicide

Game Theory Population Dynamics Universality Evolutionarily Stable Strategies (ESS) –Unconditional Strategies Doves Hawks –Conditional Strategies Bullies Retaliators

Evolutionary Psychology Underlying Assumptions –Natural Selection and Sexual Selection –Mind is produced by the brain –The human brain has been profoundly shaped by social relationships. Esp. sex (male and female preferences) –The brain has adapted to reproductive problems that human beings faced in the Pleistocene era. –The “Modular Theory of the Brain.” The brain as a “Swiss Army Knife” –Sexual Dimorphism: The brains and bodies of males and females evolved under different environmental conditions Mothers and Gatherers Warriors and Hunters –Time Lags: Because cultural evolution takes place at a much faster pace, the human brain may be maladapted to deal with our current environment (political, social, technological, biological).

Issues Comparative mating: Animals v. Humans Cultural Influence Variability of male and female bodies and behavior (male-female continuum) Self Interest and Cooperation: altruism, kin altruism, reciprocal altruism –How do two different kinds of human brains cooperate long enough to produce offspring? Bearing of Offspring –Concealed Estrus –Dating Practices –Body Signals Caring of Offspring –Reproductive Strategies R strategy K strategy Puzzles –Marital Arrangement Monogamy Polygamy Polyandry Serial Monogamy (7 year itch?) Sex for fun Sex outside of marriage –Male and Female Orgasms –Homosexuality –Menopause –Relationship Violence jealousy retribution –Infanticide

Males

Females

How Malleable are Sex Roles? Change the Environment –Teaching and Learning Change the Body –Sex Change Operations –Hormone Therapy