Message from @CarletonJ
Discord ID: 393595830361128964
Is this the next book?
Or are you guys already on it?
This paper is David Sloan Wilson and EO Wilson’s 30 page paper on the return of group selection. It is interesting to note people like (((Steven Pinker)))have opposed group selection pretty adamantly from what I know. It is a slippery slope from Group selection to Kevin Macdonald. Honestly, it’s only like 1 thought process away after that. Group selection is being accepted because of people like David Wilson and we shall see if people start eyeing Kevin Macdonald’s work even more warily
Applying group selection to human communities isn’t that crazy after group selection is mainstream in evolutionary biology
“According to Turchin (2003, 2005) virtually all empires arose in geographical areas where major ethnic groups came into contact with each other. Intense between-group conflict acted as a crucible for the cultural evolution of extremely cooperative societies, which then expanded at the expense of less cooperative societies...”
This is significant in relation to the JQ. We haven’t gone through that crucible yet, we are now at least, so we just aren’t genetically equipped unless we can culturally program ourselves to compensate. Is that possible? Idk, but it seems the Middle East was just such a crucible to create some empires and create group that were refined by group selection.
That’s almost counter intuitive given what we know about homogenous societies being more successful. It’s like successful, homogenous societies arise because of struggle with a lesser, heterogenous society
Ya maybe it was homogenous societies warring against each other. They are a very ethnically minded people. I’m sure having a homogenous society helps breed success, but then put them against another ethnicity and that competition maybe fuels empires
I refer to the Middle East when I say “they are a very ethnically minded people.”
It sort of makes sense to me - wouldn't it be rather difficult to expand without an empire to rule over all these different people? Wouldn't an empire give them something to unite under?
Also, we can't forget one of the major reasons the great Roman Empire fell was due to these very reasons. They simply grew too large and no longer had money or war to unite them under a single banner.
inclusive fitness and reciprocal altruism evolution are a lot more plausible than group selection
for Turchin, he is talking about state evolution, not genetic selection for traits
From what I’ve been reading it’s not either or
his argument is that states on "metaethnic frontiers" are able to reduce rights and privileges of groups in their state and mobilize more resources, enabling them to dominate less efficient states
It’s group selection should be considered as to contributing to some of the mutation in some groups
Like Macdonald’s proposal of how Jews erect genetic barriers and differential reproduction within groups has decreased because of monogamy, probably a significant event in to contributing to more cooperation and adding more differential reproduction between groups instead of within
So the instituting of monogamy seems like evidence of group selection. Also Jewish behavior’s seems like very good evidence of “group evolutionary strategies” being enacted
I’d like to hear your take on it though, that is why I posted that paper at the top by David Wilson and EO Wilson cause I’m still trying to figure what is the most accurate view of reality
I just don't get how there is selection at the group level genetically. Sure socially, culturally, and politically, but not genetically