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Assignment 1:

Mandilakhe Dada
201102236

Due Date: 25 April

1.
Select one philosophical implication of the
evolutionary psychological conception of human
nature discussed in the lecture, and critically
discuss it in some detail.

Mandilakhe Dada
201102236
Assignment 1:
Due Date: 25 April
1.

Select one philosophical implication of the evolutionary psychological

conception of human nature discussed in the lecture and critically discuss it in
some detail.

Introduction
The idea of God is one that has obviously been in existence for a long time. As pointed out by
evolutionary psychologists; that it is one aspect that is universal among human cultures. In
this essay the author will critically discuss this idea of God according to evolutionary
psychologists. The author will do this by first stating the case of evolutionary psychologists
and its implication thereof; according to the idea of God, followed by a systematic critiquec
of the position of evolutionary psychologists. Excellent introduction.

Evolutionary psychology
Evolutionary psychology is a field which states that the mind of the human being and its
facets and therefor its abilities and subsequent behaviour are all products of evolution. Thus
all behaviour and abilities are those that were positively productive for humans and thus
proved profitable to pass on to the next generation. Reference?
An example of jealousy is used to illustrate this. Stating that jealousy proved advantageous;
in that it helped the one partner to keep hold of the other, thus maximising its chance of
passing on its genes. Good, but also explicitly relate this to philosophical anthropology.

Implication of evolutionary psychology

The philosophical implication of evolutionary psychology that the author will be focussing on
is that of God. According to Wwall; While most religious believers think of God as creating
the universe, Wilson thinks that the universe created God. That is, the practice of religion
evolved because it serves many needs for individuals and societies. Wall, p402. Nice quote.
This points directly to what was stated above by the author. That the evolutionary
psychologists believe that all the overall parts of the human and his being, are just a function
of evolution and indeed a product of it. Thus all behaviour, even that behaviour which stems
from belief and the subsequent functions of it are in fact vehicles to convene and carry out the
needs that the social animal (mankind) and the individual need for their continued survival
and social equilibrium. Good!

By equilibrium the author does not mean balance or a sense of equality but in fact the author
means the maintenance of a certain order. Even Karl Marx, who wrote as a philosopher and a
sociologist also referred to the theory of Emile Durkhiem on how religion serves as a social
integrator. Also it serves to propagate certain values, norms and mores which allow for a
certain form of social order to continue existing (Ritzer, 2003). Good work.

Critique
Similarity to Sociology
The author is not mistaken by using a quote from a sociologist. It illustrates the similarity of
the theory of evolutionary psychologists with sociology and the subsequent downfalls of such
theorising.
The theory of evolutionary psychology might have different reasons as to why the human is
as he is and why his society or social being is as he is but the end result is the same. Not just
in the essence its roots and then later its fruits (evolutionary beginning of man, to resultant
forms of civilisation).
What the author is stating here is that both sociology and evolutionary psychology begin at
the same point and end at the same point respectively. The theory itself is very similar in that
except for the focus of evolutionary psychology being the mind and genes, sociologys focus
is on the structure of societies but both are determined by the environment. Nice

Origins of the theorists

Broonzaier et.al wrote that Historians may strive to be objective but, like other people, they
tend to view the evidence before them in terms of the environment in which they live and the
values that they hold (2000, p.57). This builds on the previous critique in that most of the
theorists in both sociology and evolutionary psychology were and are middle class white men
and they exhibit the values and mores of the cultures from which they hail. The belief in
individualism and that of hierarchy in society is in fact a cultural construction of that kind.
The kind of God which comes from any culture is thus a creation of that culture or lack
thereof. Interesting!

Biological machines
As a result of this kind of implication, the evolutionary psychologists have reduced the
human to the level of biological machines. If in fact the human is a by-product of evolution
and that evolution has no first-mover, then the human ceases to have higher purpose or
function and thus it is no more better than any microscopic organism which are all byproducts of evolution.
The main problem with a view of this nature is that it does not include the other facets of the
human experience. Adding on to the previous critique; it proves that the view that these
theorists have developed is a testament to the culture they originate from. In western culture

the constant appeal is that mankind is not a spiritual being but a natural one and this view
developed recently through the efforts of a society trying to free itself from the oppression of
a system which used God as a justifying principal for its oppression. Good argument.
The issue would then be that even the theory of Cartesian dualism does sound a bit farfetched, in that there is no such a thing as a soul. This theory has been critiqued by displaying
man as the ghost in the machine whereas there is no proof for this and in fact it is possible
that the seat of this so-called soul is in the brain and just an activity thereof.
However it is a moot point to say that the absence of evidence is the evidence of absence
because mankind as he sits today cannot even begin to understand the environment around
him much less what made it if it was at all created. By this the author speaks of the universe.
With this being said, even though man cannot prove the existence of the ghostly side of his
existence, he cannot discount it completely as this would be giving too much power to one
principal of thought; rationality.

Reason
The principal of thought called rationality or reason is the founding bases for such theories
and their implications. However mankind has many facets of his being and western society
has become lost in the achievements accomplished through the use of such a principal and
has thus asserted to discount the other parts of his being by concentrating mostly on his
ability to compute based on laws of validity etc. I am a bit lost with regards to how you got
here the jump from evolutionary psychology to the importance of reason is not explained
properly.

Authors opinion
In the opinion of the author of this paper; the removal of God from the thought process of
man is not just a move which has a scent of arrogance but also a mistake. The bases of which
is one sided and not in complete view of what the human being is and has the potential to
become. The use of the other parts of self, such as emotion, intuition, the ability to dream etc.
are just a few examples of what should also be studied and included in empirical research.
For example; if a man is left handed and finds that it is much easier for him to use only his
left it does not mean that his right hand does not exist, no matter how much that man pretends
that it does not. Nice.

Conclusion
In conclusion the author has discussed the theory of evolutionary psychology and has also
given the implication of this theory that the author has decided to speak on. This was
followed by a systematic critique which culminated in the authors own opinion where he
found that the creation of God as an implication of the theory of evolutionary psychology is
an error that mankind cannot afford to make. Good conclusion.

Reference List
Ritzer, G. (2003). Sociological Theory: Sixth Edition. McGraw-Hill Humanities Social,
Boston.
Boonzaier, E. Malherbe, C. Berens, P. Smith, A. (2000). The Cape Herders; A History of the
Khoikhoi of Southern Africa. 2nd ed. Cape Town.

Criteria

First Class

1. Grasp of the
relevant
material and
issues.

Excellent
grasp of the
relevant
material and
issues demonstrated
through such
achieve-ments
as pro-viding
sound
and
novel
explanations,
hypothesising
new
alternatives
and directions,
the
use
of
illuminating
and
original
examples, etc.

[This
is
an
overall
criterion which
is mainly met
through
fulfilling
the
other criteria]

2. Point of the
essay

The essay has

a
clearly
expressed,
viable
and
useful claim to
make.

3. Argument

The argument
used
to
support
the
essays main
claim is clear
and sound.

4. Structure

The essay is
clearly
structured in
order
to
achieve
its
aims.
Very
easy
for
reader
to
follow.

5.
Critical
thought

Mature,
independent,
perhaps
original.
The
students own
voice
comes
through

Second Class
A
Very good grasp
of the relevant
material
and
issues
demonstrated
through
such
achievements
as
providing
good,
sound
explanations,
relating
elements
to
each other, etc.

Second Class
B
Fair
to
good
grasp
of
the
relevant
material
and
issues
demonstrated
through
such
achievements
as
providing
adequate
explanations,
some effort at
relating
elements
to
each other, etc.

Third Class

Fail

Barely
adequate
grasp
of
the
relevant material
and
issues
demonstrated
through
such
achievements as
the provision of
recognisable
explanations and
comparisons.

Inadequate grasp
of the relevant
material
and
issues
demonstrated
through
such
achievements as
failing to explain
key elements or
arguments failing
to
relate
elements, etc.

The essay has a

clearly
expressed point
to
it,
but
perhaps
of
limited interest
and usefulness.
The
argument
used to support
the
essays
main claim is
quite
clear
but/or may have
gaps.
The essay is
clearly
structured with
the intent of
pursuing
the
essays
aims,
but there are
problems
with
clarity
or
unification such
that it is not
always easy to
follow.
Attempts
at
critique,
but
they tend to be
derivative, such
that
the
students
own
voice is faint.
Little

The point of the

essay
is
not
very
clearly
expressed and is
of
limited
interest
and
usefulness.
The
argument
used to support
the
essays
main claim is at
times
unclear
and may have a
few gaps.
The essay is not
clearly
structured with
the intent of
pursuing
the
essays
aims,
and there are
problems
with
clarity
or
unification such
that it is at
times not easy
to follow.
Critique
is
mainly
derivative, with
very little of the
students
own
voice
coming
through.

The point of the

essay is vague
and/or
unchallenging.

There is little or
no point being
made.

The
argument
used to support
the essays main
claim
is
weak,
poorly
thought
through
or
incomplete.
The essay is not
well structured for
the purposes of
fulfilling its aims,
but there are signs
of
intent.
The
essays structure
often
makes
it
difficult for the
reader to follow

There is little or
no
argument
given in support
of the essays
claim.

There
is
little
critical thought

There
is
an
absence
or
incoherence
of
critical thought

There is little or
no effort put into
the structuring of
the essay

independent
thought

6.
Written
expression

Clear, mature,
shows
excellent
grasp and use
of terms and
discourse

By and large
clear, by and
large good use
of terms and
discourse

7. Referencing

All
quoting
and
paraphrasing
are
appropriately
referenced

Most
quoting
and
paraphrasing
are
appropriately
referenced

Often
clear,
often good use
of terms and
discourse,
but
the reader has
some difficulty
in following
By and large
quoting
and
paraphrasing
are
appropriately
referenced

Excellent work. Nice critical engagement. Well done! 82%

There is neglect
of
written
expression
such
that the reader
often experiences
some difficulty in
following
An effort is made
to reference, but
there are many
slips

Poor;
generally
difficult
or
impossible
for
the reader to
understand what
the student is
saying.
Insufficient or no
referencing