From: kv07@IASTATE.EDU (Warren Vonroeschlaub)
Subject: Re: Some answers for Chuck (on evolution and marriage)
Reply-To: kv07@IASTATE.EDU (Warren Vonroeschlaub)
Organization: Ministery of Silly Walks
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 21:12:41 GMT

In article <BruLKt.JAr@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, mrjg8679@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Michael R
James) writes:
> kv07@IASTATE.EDU (Warren Vonroeschlaub) writes:
> >  If you study those cultures you will probably find that they are ones
where
> >"polygamy is acceptable".  Actual polygamy would probably be restricted to a
> >small social elite in almost all cases.
> 
> True.  And interestingly, it fits with some "natural" examples
> of polygamy with one dominant male breeding with several females.
> There are some apes like this.
> 
> But let me ask this:  Mormons are a polygamous culture, but do they
> restrict it to an elite?

  Technically they don't practice it at all.  It is "permitted" (encouraged) by
tradition, but any practice is well hidden from the public.

  Here is one for you: Are the Mormons a culture?  Can we call something a
culture if it was founded by a single individual <200 years ago?  What are the
limits that constitute "this is a culture" and "this isn't"?

> >>  Most other animals are born with a host of _instinctual_
> >> behavior patterns, but humans acquire most of their behaviors
> >> through *learning*.
> 
> >  Is fingernail-biting learned?  What about nose picking, or ear picking. 
If
> >anything these are discouraged, but they still happen.  There is also the
> >rooting reflex in infants, and the sucking reflex.  The list goes on.
> 
> I didn't say there weren't any, but I was really talking about the 
> "biggies".  A human has really no capacity to feed and shelter itself
> ( or find a mate) without considerable training.

  I think you are confusing issues here.  If you abandon most baby animals they
will die.  As far as living goes, humans were able to get around well before
there was speach, and the development of speach may have made many of those
instincts useless, but I'm willing to bet money most of them are still around.

>  If I remember my
> grade-school biology correctly, a bird can build a nest without
> ever having seen one, and migrate to the correct place without ever
> having been there...etc.

  Bad choice.  Humans have a strong "nesting" urge when pregnant.  Humans may
not migrate, but we never had too (apples and oranges).  I have a very good
sense of direction and position, and I don't think it was learned.

> I'm not really disagreeing with you, just pointing out
> it's really just the scale of learning vs. instinct.  Many animals
> have learned behaviors also.

  I don't think the scale is as low as you think.  In times of crisis learning
usually goes out the window.

***********************************************************************
* Warren Kurt   *  "In our country we have those three unspeakably    *
* vonRoeschlaub *   precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of    *
* kv07@iastate  *   conscience, and the prudence never to practice    *
*               *   either." - Mark Twain                             *
***********************************************************************
Newsgroups: talk.origins,sci.astro