I look forward to reading the book. For the moment, I have a question arising from the essay. From your account, it seems that the more spectacular examples of masculine ornamentation require an equilibrium of at least three elements: (1) Male capacity to service many females (testicular potency); (2) A curious absence of intra-masculine aggression. Why wouldn't genes for strong violent and ugly masculinity displace genes for being a pretty boy? (3) A critical turning point. I recall Dawkins somewhere suggests that once evolution gets going down a particular path - in this case beauty rather than physical dominance as a sexual selector - it's too expensive to reverse and turn back - unless, of course, something changes in the environment to make the existing equilibrium too expensive.
Mind-bogglingly cool! Thinking about these incredible aesthetic evolutionary changes over time is giving me a headache. I live in Dubai, and I often find myself gazing into the distance, watching the vibrant green parrots dart around my apartment together, strategizing ways to enhance their evolutionary beauty. Thank you
I look forward to reading the book. For the moment, I have a question arising from the essay. From your account, it seems that the more spectacular examples of masculine ornamentation require an equilibrium of at least three elements: (1) Male capacity to service many females (testicular potency); (2) A curious absence of intra-masculine aggression. Why wouldn't genes for strong violent and ugly masculinity displace genes for being a pretty boy? (3) A critical turning point. I recall Dawkins somewhere suggests that once evolution gets going down a particular path - in this case beauty rather than physical dominance as a sexual selector - it's too expensive to reverse and turn back - unless, of course, something changes in the environment to make the existing equilibrium too expensive.
Mind-bogglingly cool! Thinking about these incredible aesthetic evolutionary changes over time is giving me a headache. I live in Dubai, and I often find myself gazing into the distance, watching the vibrant green parrots dart around my apartment together, strategizing ways to enhance their evolutionary beauty. Thank you
But what initially drives mate selection? Some evolutionary principal.
Fascinating! Has it resulted in better looking human beings over time?