|
|
Re: "Cross-specifically" - with an example added
Lawrence S. Sugiyama (6500sug@UCSBUXA.UCSB.EDU)
Sat, 27 Jul 1996 15:54:42 -0700
On Fri, 26 Jul 1996, Ronald Kephart wrote:
> In message <199607251413.KAA14688@sumter.awod.com> "Jesse S. Cook III" writes:
>
> > I would not consider the maternal instinct to protect offspring as
> > altruistic behavior, even in humans; it is clearly adaptive.
>
> I, for one, wonder there is in fact such a thing as a "maternal instinct." Does
> anyone else have a problem with this?
>
> Ron Kephart
>
Ron,
"maternal instincts" are species specific, may be many in number
in a given species, or, completely lacking etc. Maternal
investment is
used to describe benefits confered upon offspring by mothers, and
includes developmental/energy cost of producing egg, gestation,
lactation, paying for college etc. So, thinking about the adaptations
that underlie these and the conditions which elicit them is preferable to me
than to simply say maternal instinct. But thats just my opinion.
Larry
|