Re: Biological = Trivial?

John Cole. (jrc@TEI.UMASS.EDU)
Mon, 22 Jul 1996 22:10:15 -0400

I was not suggesting a simple "nature-nurture" argument. For example, I agree
that most organisms, at least those with brains, have some capacity for
learned behavior, and that biological evolution includes the evolution of and
adaptive value of (or lack of vcalue) of such learned behavior--It is
certainly not all "hard wired" or genetic. The inter-relationships or
interactions of genetic and/or physiological constraints and capacities and
predispositions with learned behavior, spontaneous or original behavior, and
evolved behavior interest me greatly. For example, a freind has done research
on the evolution of ethics in chimps as a possible source of insight on human
ethics and evolution, and this seems really exciting to me! (ref. to Laurie
Godfrey in a recent U of Chicago Proceedings volume.....) But to me it is not
all "mental"--a category I have trouble defining!

--John R. Cole