Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology

Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology PDF Author: August John Hoffman
Publisher: Lexington Books
ISBN: 1498518168
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 227

Get Book Here

Book Description
Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology describes the unique relationship between early schools of thought in Greek philosophy, modern psychology, and most recently evolutionary psychology. This volume provides the reader with a concise history and description of some of the most important theories used in understanding human behaviors (i.e., the mind-body duality, the essence of human nature, and how humans have evolved to cooperate with each other) and how the physical characteristics of communities have contributed to positive (i.e., prosocial) or destructive (i.e., antisocial) behavior. It explores human nature from the philosophical perspectives of Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Locke, and Rousseau as contributing factors to the development of modern psychology (i.e., Structuralism, Functionalism, Behaviorism, and Biopsychology) that ultimately is combined with evolutionary psychology. Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology alsoincorporates various topics of psychology that support the development of evolutionary psychology such as language and communication, gender differences, aggression, cooperative behaviors, and natural selection.

Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology

Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology PDF Author: August John Hoffman
Publisher: Lexington Books
ISBN: 1498518168
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 227

Get Book Here

Book Description
Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology describes the unique relationship between early schools of thought in Greek philosophy, modern psychology, and most recently evolutionary psychology. This volume provides the reader with a concise history and description of some of the most important theories used in understanding human behaviors (i.e., the mind-body duality, the essence of human nature, and how humans have evolved to cooperate with each other) and how the physical characteristics of communities have contributed to positive (i.e., prosocial) or destructive (i.e., antisocial) behavior. It explores human nature from the philosophical perspectives of Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Locke, and Rousseau as contributing factors to the development of modern psychology (i.e., Structuralism, Functionalism, Behaviorism, and Biopsychology) that ultimately is combined with evolutionary psychology. Philosophical Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology alsoincorporates various topics of psychology that support the development of evolutionary psychology such as language and communication, gender differences, aggression, cooperative behaviors, and natural selection.

Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology

Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology PDF Author: Charles B. Crawford
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 9780805859560
Category : Adaptability (Psychology)
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume provides an up-to-date review of the ideas, issues, and applications of contemporary evolutionary psychology. It is suitable for senior undergraduates, first year graduate students, or professionals who wish to become conversant with the major issues currently shaping the emergence of this dynamic new field.

The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, Volume 1

The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, Volume 1 PDF Author: David M. Buss
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118756029
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 691

Get Book Here

Book Description
The indispensable reference tool for the groundbreaking science of evolutionary psychology Why is the mind designed the way it is? How does input from the environment interact with the mind to produce behavior? These are the big, unanswered questions that the field of evolutionary psychology seeks to explore. The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology is the seminal work in this vibrant, quickly-developing new discipline. In this thorough revision and expansion, luminaries in the field provide an in-depth exploration of the foundations of evolutionary psychology and explain the new empirical discoveries and theoretical developments that continue at a breathtaking pace. Evolutionary psychologists posit that the mind has a specialized and complex structure, just as the body has a specialized and complex structure. From this important theoretical concept arises the vast array of possibilities that are at the core of the field, which seeks to examine such traits as perception, language, and memory from an evolutionary perspective. This examination is intended to determine the human psychological traits that are the products of sexual and natural selection and, as such, to chart and understand human nature. Join the discussion of the big questions addressed by the burgeoning field of evolutionary psychology Explore the foundations of evolutionary psychology, from theory and methods to the thoughts of EP critics Discover the psychology of human survival, mating, parenting, cooperation and conflict, culture, and more Identify how evolutionary psychology is interwoven with other academic subjects and traditional psychological disciplines The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology is the definitive guide for every psychologist and student interested in keeping abreast of new ideas in this quickly-developing field.

Conceptual Challenges in Evolutionary Psychology

Conceptual Challenges in Evolutionary Psychology PDF Author: Harmon R. Holcomb III
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9401006180
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 442

Get Book Here

Book Description
This series will include monographs and collections of studies devoted to the investigation and exploration of knowledge, information, and data-processing systems of all kinds, no matter whether human, (other) animal, or machine. Its scope is intended to span the full range of interests from classical problems in the philosophy of mind and philosophical psychology through issues in cognitive psychology and sociobiology (concerning the mental capabilities of other species) to ideas related to artificial intelligence and to computer science. While primary emphasis will be placed upon theoretical, conceptual, and epistemological aspects of these problems and domains, empirical, experimental, and methodological studies will also appear from time to time. Few areas of inquiry have generated as much interest and enthusiasm in recent times as has the discipline known as "evolutionary psychology", but its pretentions and its accomlishments have not always been properly understood. This collection brings together important work in psychology, anthropology, and the philosophy of science that contributes toward that goal, especially by emphasizing the role of natural selection and sexual selection as crucial factors in the evolution of cognitive mechanisms for information processing. The methodological studies that are presented here are bound to enhance appreciation for the scope and limits of this fascinating domain. The editor has produced a fascinating volume that should appeal to a broad and diverse audience.

Evolutionary Psychology and the Propositional-attitudes

Evolutionary Psychology and the Propositional-attitudes PDF Author: Alex Walter
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400729685
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 92

Get Book Here

Book Description
The two essays provide a critical examination of theory and research in the field of evolutionary psychology. The view advanced here is that philosophical materialism and minimalist assumptions about adaptation serve Darwinian psychology better than the more popular alternative view that relies on cognitive dualism and propositional-attitude psychology to formulate evolutionary psychology theory. A commitment to cognitive dualism is destined to undermine the physical basis of behavior upon which evolutionary theory depends. Many evolutionary psychologists do not see this but are seduced by the easy way in which hypotheses can be formulated using the ‘propositional-attitude’ model. The challenge is to develop a materialistic and mechanistic approach to understanding human cognition and behavior, including linguistic and social behavior.

Epistemological Dimensions of Evolutionary Psychology

Epistemological Dimensions of Evolutionary Psychology PDF Author: Thiemo Breyer
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1493913875
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 248

Get Book Here

Book Description
​​​​​As psychology and philosophy arose as answers to the eternal question of how the mind works, evolutionary psychology has gained ground over recent years as a link between cognitive-behavioral and natural-science theories of the mind. This provocative field has also gathered a wide range of criticisms, from attributing too much autonomy to the brain to basing itself on faulty assumptions about our prehistoric past. Epistemological Dimensions of Evolutionary Psychology reframes its discipline for the contemporary era, correcting common misconceptions and mediating between different schools of thought. By focusing on the nature and limits of knowledge and reasoning--the essence of epistemology--contributors offer fresh insights at the intersection of human cognitive abilities as adaptations and our self-perception of knowledge, including evolutionary perspectives on altruism, depression, or the phasing out of human sacrifice. This diversity strengthens and vindicates the field, as evinced by thought-provoking dispatches such as: Toward a cognitive philosophy of science. Evolutionary media psychology and its epistemological foundation. The "meme" meme revisited. Depression as an adaptation. Like me: a homophily-based account of human culture. Preparedness to learn about the world: evidence from infant research. An engaging and often controversial testament to the combined power of evolution and logic, Epistemological Dimensions of Evolutionary Psychology will intrigue philosophers as well as psychologists in a variety of subdisciplines.

The SAGE Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology

The SAGE Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology PDF Author: Todd K. Shackelford
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1529737443
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 2222

Get Book Here

Book Description
Evolutionary psychology is an important and rapidly expanding area in the life, social, and behavioral sciences, and this Handbook represents the most comprehensive and up-to-date reference text in the field today. Over three volumes, the Handbook provides a rich overview of the most important theoretical and empirical work in the field. Chapters cover a broad range of topics, including theoretical foundations, the integration of evolutionary psychology with other life, social, and behavioral sciences, as well as with the arts and the humanities, and the increasing power of evolutionary psychology to inform applied fields, including medicine, psychiatry, law, and education. Each of the volumes has been carefully curated to have a strong thematic focus, covering: - The foundations of evolutionary psychology; - The integration of evolutionary psychology with other disciplines, and; - The applications of evolutionary psychology. The SAGE Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology is an essential resource for researchers, graduate students, and advanced undergraduate students in all areas of psychology, and in related disciplines across the life, social, and behavioral sciences.

Evolutionary Psychology as Maladapted Psychology

Evolutionary Psychology as Maladapted Psychology PDF Author: Robert C. Richardson
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262261111
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 227

Get Book Here

Book Description
A philosopher subjects the claims of evolutionary psychology to the evidential and methodological requirements of evolutionary biology, concluding that evolutionary psychology's explanations amount to speculation disguised as results. Human beings, like other organisms, are the products of evolution. Like other organisms, we exhibit traits that are the product of natural selection. Our psychological capacities are evolved traits as much as are our gait and posture. This much few would dispute. Evolutionary psychology goes further than this, claiming that our psychological traits—including a wide variety of traits, from mate preference and jealousy to language and reason—can be understood as specific adaptations to ancestral Pleistocene conditions. In Evolutionary Psychology as Maladapted Psychology, Robert Richardson takes a critical look at evolutionary psychology by subjecting its ambitious and controversial claims to the same sorts of methodological and evidential constraints that are broadly accepted within evolutionary biology. The claims of evolutionary psychology may pass muster as psychology; but what are their evolutionary credentials? Richardson considers three ways adaptive hypotheses can be evaluated, using examples from the biological literature to illustrate what sorts of evidence and methodology would be necessary to establish specific evolutionary and adaptive explanations of human psychological traits. He shows that existing explanations within evolutionary psychology fall woefully short of accepted biological standards. The theories offered by evolutionary psychologists may identify traits that are, or were, beneficial to humans. But gauged by biological standards, there is inadequate evidence: evolutionary psychologists are largely silent on the evolutionary evidence relevant to assessing their claims, including such matters as variation in ancestral populations, heritability, and the advantage offered to our ancestors. As evolutionary claims they are unsubstantiated. Evolutionary psychology, Richardson concludes, may offer a program of research, but it lacks the kind of evidence that is generally expected within evolutionary biology. It is speculation rather than sound science—and we should treat its claims with skepticism.

Getting Darwin Wrong

Getting Darwin Wrong PDF Author: Brendan Wallace
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited
ISBN: 1845405781
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 178

Get Book Here

Book Description
Brendan Wallace, with a background in psychology, demonstrates that the key claims of Evolutionary Psychology (EP), popularised by Steven Pinker and others, are based on the 'brain is a digital computer' argument. He then argues that as we now know this model of the brain will not work, therefore EP won't work either, since it is based on a fallacious view of the mind/brain. The book, which is written in a reader friendly but rigorous style, is a timely assault on one of the most fashionable philosophies of mind currently 'out there'.

Making Sense of Evolution

Making Sense of Evolution PDF Author: Massimo Pigliucci
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226668355
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 310

Get Book Here

Book Description
Making Sense of Evolution explores contemporary evolutionary biology, focusing on the elements of theories—selection, adaptation, and species—that are complex and open to multiple possible interpretations, many of which are incompatible with one another and with other accepted practices in the discipline. Particular experimental methods, for example, may demand one understanding of “selection,” while the application of the same concept to another area of evolutionary biology could necessitate a very different definition. Spotlighting these conceptual difficulties and presenting alternate theoretical interpretations that alleviate this incompatibility, Massimo Pigliucci and Jonathan Kaplan intertwine scientific and philosophical analysis to produce a coherent picture of evolutionary biology. Innovative and controversial, Making Sense of Evolution encourages further development of the Modern Synthesis and outlines what might be necessary for the continued refinement of this evolving field.