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Evolutionary stable strategies

I read about this concept in the Selfish Gene. I found it very interesting, as I had never really took the time to think about such a thing. In the examples given, it was mostly applied to animal behavior. But it got me to thinking on how I react to certain situations sometimes by instinct or without thinking and how these reactions may be subconsciously based on evolutionary stable strategies.

Do you think this concept can be used to understand certain human behaviors?

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Permalink Reply by David S on October 7, 2009 at 1:49pm

It might be useful for some purposes. But with regard to human behaviors it is better to think in terms of habits, not instincts. Genes and combinations of genes only establish an array of possible habits but do not strictly determine behaviors. In any given situation it is possible to "break" the habit which could be conceived as a matter of selecting a possibility from the array, or some other genetically established array. The selection process would probably be chemical, but such that "consiousness" (represented as an array of possible "thoughts") could intervene, interupt, divert, or terminate the selection. In any case, "understanding" human behavior in genetic and bio-chemical terms should not provide universal justifications or excuses for bad behavior.

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Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on October 16, 2009 at 7:34pm

my 2 cents on the value of genes

Genes do not stand a chance against man-made and or environmental influence now days.
Society is programmed to be 'x' by whatever institute, party or religion.
Those that can hold it down and those that can't; patience and curiosity that is.

I feel bad for those stuck under the guise of faith, war, power and or lying about what you're really up to in this modern, cheater-friendly world.