Tag:
Politics
Aug 25, 2012
Social Darwinism Strikes Back?
Kevin Williamson writing at <em>The National Review</em> believes that Romney should get "100 percent" of the female vote. Why? Good question...Kevin Williamson writing at <em>The National Review</em> believes that Romney should get "100 percent" of the female vote. Why? Good question...
Jun 28, 2012
The Nature of Regulation I: Breaking Out of Our Narrative Prisons
Both liberal and conservative narratives about regulation are like prisons that confine reasonable people to predetermined choices. A new narrative based on the biological concept of regulation can set us free. Regulation is one of the most charged words in politics. If you’re a conservative, then you’re likely to think that regulation is a bad thing that erodes personal responsibility and prevents the free enterprise system from working its magic.
Jun 6, 2012
The Science of War, and the War Over Human Nature
Are we stuck with war? ETVOL reviews select contributions to the Science special issue on Human Conflict.Warfare and human nature seem inextricably linked. But what do we mean by “human nature,” and what evidence would we require as proof that warfare is an indelible feature of the human condition?
May 24, 2012
With Age Comes…Success in Battle?
New research suggests that in wartime, people tend to prefer leaders with older looking faces.Brian R. Spisak argues that ancestrally, older age tended to come with greater status, rank, and dominance, which are traits that would have correlated with success in battle.
Feb 11, 2012
Adaptationism and the Study of Political Behavior
For millennia, group boundaries have organized our identities, motivated allegiances, and inspired feats of coordination the likes of which are unparalleled in the animal kingdom.We hypothesize that psychological adaptations exist that structure the way we think about groups, and that regulate cooperative and competitive behavior in the context of specific coalitional dynamics; specifically, we argue that humans are endowed with an evolved “coalitional psychology.”
Feb 9, 2012
Natural Security: Evolutionary Insights For 21st Century Threats
The core idea is to use insights from biology and evolution to tackle an empirical challenge we face in the real worldThe Natural Security project uses similar evolutionary principles to offer a fresh perspective on our understanding of security threats, as well as to design effective responses to those threats. While evolution may seem to be a simplistic paradigm, especially applied to complex issues such as human conflict, this simplicity is its power.
Feb 9, 2012
Natural Security: Evolutionary Insights For 21st Century Threats
The core idea is to use insights from biology and evolution to tackle an empirical challenge we face in the real worldThe Natural Security project uses similar evolutionary principles to offer a fresh perspective on our understanding of security threats, as well as to design effective responses to those threats. While evolution may seem to be a simplistic paradigm, especially applied to complex issues such as human conflict, this simplicity is its power.