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The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Blog

Exploring life at the intersection of biology, psychology, and philosophy.

Spirituality
The World Without Us

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on September 13, 2015

Do we care more about the future existence of other people than about our own future existence? In a strange kind of way, maybe we do.

Do we care more about the future existence of other people than about our own future existence? In a strange kind of way, maybe we do.

Optimism
Why Do Politicians Say Dumb Things?

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on September 5, 2015

Why do politicians - many of whom are presumably pretty smart - often say such non-smart things? According to Jason Brennan, it's the rational thing to do.

Why do politicians - many of whom are presumably pretty smart - often say such non-smart things? According to Jason Brennan, it's the rational thing to do.

Sex
Making (the Science of) Sex Fun

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on November 27, 2013

Meet the woman who can think herself to orgasm, the woman who has an orgasm every time she brushes her teeth, and the pig farmers who manually "pleasure" female pigs in order to increase their chances of getting pregnant (the pigs' chances, that is)...

Meet the woman who can think herself to orgasm, the woman who has an orgasm every time she brushes her teeth, and the pig farmers who manually "pleasure" female pigs in order to increase their chances of getting pregnant (the pigs' chances, that is)...

Depression
Quote of the Day: William James on Consciousness

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on October 31, 2013

William James was one of greatest writers in the history of psychology. He was also one of the first evolutionary psychologists (the first was Darwin). In his book, The Principles of Psychology, James muses on the mystery of conscious awareness. Check out one of my favourite of his quotes on that topic.

William James was one of greatest writers in the history of psychology. He was also one of the first evolutionary psychologists (the first was Darwin). In his book, The Principles of Psychology, James muses on the mystery of conscious awareness. Check out one of my favourite of his quotes on that topic.

Evolutionary Psychology
The Cartoon Guide to Psychology!

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on March 27, 2011

Recently a reader put me onto these very cool, very smart cartoons, which deal with a range of topics in psychology and evolutionary biology and life in general. The stars of the show are some sperm and eggs going about their everyday business. The cartoons are the brainchildren of Sheila McCann; if you like 'em, there are plenty more where these came from...

Recently a reader put me onto these very cool, very smart cartoons, which deal with a range of topics in psychology and evolutionary biology and life in general. The stars of the show are some sperm and eggs going about their everyday business. The cartoons are the brainchildren of Sheila McCann; if you like 'em, there are plenty more where these came from...

Religion
The Meaning of Life Revealed!

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on January 8, 2011

Evolutionary theory answers one of the most profound and fundamental questions human beings have ever asked themselves, a question that has plagued reflective minds for as long as reflective minds have existed in the universe: Why are we here? The question was answered in 1859 by Charles Darwin, and the answer can be stated in just six words...

Evolutionary theory answers one of the most profound and fundamental questions human beings have ever asked themselves, a question that has plagued reflective minds for as long as reflective minds have existed in the universe: Why are we here? The question was answered in 1859 by Charles Darwin, and the answer can be stated in just six words...

Evolutionary Psychology
My Family and Other Animals

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on October 9, 2010

Does size matter? What are the chances that you might accidentally marry a blood relative? What’s the difference between a trip to the zoo and a family reunion? Should psychology become a branch of zoology? Are doctors just glorified veterinarians? All these questions and many more will be answered in this blog post!

Does size matter? What are the chances that you might accidentally marry a blood relative? What’s the difference between a trip to the zoo and a family reunion? Should psychology become a branch of zoology? Are doctors just glorified veterinarians? All these questions and many more will be answered in this blog post!

Trauma
Rewriting Morality III: How Should We Treat Animals?

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on July 10, 2010

W. R. Inge: "We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form."

W. R. Inge: "We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form."

Evolutionary Psychology
Rewriting Morality II: Suicide and Euthanasia

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on June 20, 2010

Critics of euthanasia claim that it is immoral to take a person's life, even if that person is suffering and wishes to die with dignity. After Darwin, we might argue instead that it is immoral to force people to keep on living when they would rather not. It is strange that we have elevated human life - i.e., pure biological continuation - so far above the quality of life for the person living it. If an animal is suffering terribly from a fatal injury or disease, most people agree that the humane thing to do is to put it out of its misery. But because of the inflated value assigned to human life, we are less humane in our treatment of human beings in the same boat. People are made to suffer needlessly on the basis of superstition.

Critics of euthanasia claim that it is immoral to take a person's life, even if that person is suffering and wishes to die with dignity. After Darwin, we might argue instead that it is immoral to force people to keep on living when they would rather not. It is strange that we have elevated human life - i.e., pure biological continuation - so far above the quality of life for the person living it. If an animal is suffering terribly from a fatal injury or disease, most people agree that the humane thing to do is to put it out of its misery. But because of the inflated value assigned to human life, we are less humane in our treatment of human beings in the same boat. People are made to suffer needlessly on the basis of superstition.

Genetics
Rewriting Morality I: Goodbye to Human Dignity

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on June 6, 2010

Is it always wrong to take a human life? Is the life of an animal ever worth more than the life of a human being? Traditional moral systems would answer "no" to both questions, for they are based on the view that human life is infinitely valuable whereas the lives of other animals have little or no value. But evolutionary theory undermines this view. It undermines the idea that we were made in the image of God, and the idea that we deserve special moral treatment because we are rational animals. This has important implications for ethical issues including suicide, euthanasia, and the proper treatment of other animals.

Is it always wrong to take a human life? Is the life of an animal ever worth more than the life of a human being? Traditional moral systems would answer "no" to both questions, for they are based on the view that human life is infinitely valuable whereas the lives of other animals have little or no value. But evolutionary theory undermines this view. It undermines the idea that we were made in the image of God, and the idea that we deserve special moral treatment because we are rational animals. This has important implications for ethical issues including suicide, euthanasia, and the proper treatment of other animals.

Magical Thinking
Evidence for Life after Death?

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on May 28, 2010

Where there's good evidence for an alleged paranormal phenomenon, it can easily be explained in naturalistic terms; where an alleged paranormal phenomenon cannot be explained in naturalistic terms, there's no good evidence for it.

Where there's good evidence for an alleged paranormal phenomenon, it can easily be explained in naturalistic terms; where an alleged paranormal phenomenon cannot be explained in naturalistic terms, there's no good evidence for it.

Evolutionary Psychology
Longing for an Afterlife

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on May 11, 2010

Human beings know something terrible. We know that one day we're going to wake up, and it will be the last time we ever do. We know that one day will be the last day of our lives. We know, in short, that one day - inevitably, inexorably, inescapably - we're going to die. It is an unfortunate by-product of our intelligence that we are burdened with this knowledge, knowledge that no other animal on the planet could hope to possess. And it is, to use the technical term, a bit of a bummer.

Human beings know something terrible. We know that one day we're going to wake up, and it will be the last time we ever do. We know that one day will be the last day of our lives. We know, in short, that one day - inevitably, inexorably, inescapably - we're going to die. It is an unfortunate by-product of our intelligence that we are burdened with this knowledge, knowledge that no other animal on the planet could hope to possess. And it is, to use the technical term, a bit of a bummer.

Ethics and Morality
Did Morality Evolve?

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on May 2, 2010

Is morality an adaptation, crafted by the invisible hand of natural selection? Or do we just make it up? This turns out to be a tricky question to answer. On the one hand, there's little doubt that evolutionary theory can shed light on the origins of some of the behaviours that fall within the rubric of morality, including altruism. On the other hand...

Is morality an adaptation, crafted by the invisible hand of natural selection? Or do we just make it up? This turns out to be a tricky question to answer. On the one hand, there's little doubt that evolutionary theory can shed light on the origins of some of the behaviours that fall within the rubric of morality, including altruism. On the other hand...

Unconscious
Is the Universe Conscious?

Steve Stewart-Williams Ph.D. on April 30, 2010

One day, 13.82 billion years after the Big Bang and almost four billion years after life first evolved, something strange began to happen: Tiny parts of the universe became conscious, and came to know something about themselves and the universe of which they are a part.

One day, 13.82 billion years after the Big Bang and almost four billion years after life first evolved, something strange began to happen: Tiny parts of the universe became conscious, and came to know something about themselves and the universe of which they are a part.