3 ms·
I have no scientific rigor for this, but the possibility for relationships that do not bear offspring makes a ton of evolutionary sense. By including homosexua
by zamalek 8y ago
I have no scientific rigor for this, but the possibility for relationships that do not bear offspring makes a ton of evolutionary sense.
By including homosexuality into a species, you have members who are able to gather and process energy without contributing to population growth. Population growth is a good thing, but too much is detrimental to the species (at least if you don't have access to agriculture). In addition, if the species is a social species, you can have richer communities without the burden of additional offspring, including non-binary genders (as primitive gender roles need not apply to homosexual members). This is especially true for humans, as our offspring is unusually vulnerable for an unusually extended time. Include adoption into the equation, and your species would have a bank of potential parents for abandoned (due to death or otherwise) offspring: in humans, bearing offspring is risky and consumes a lot of energy. Evolutionary speaking, it's not a good thing if all the energy expended in that newborn is left to waste.
The possibility of homosexuality is mathematically optimal and it is therefore a deeply natural phenomenon. You don't even need to look at the animal kingdom, it's right there in nature (assuming I'm correct, but I think my argument is compelling).
- toasterlovin 8y agoNatural selection happens at the gene level. A behavior has to beneficial to the gene or genes that cause it for it to propagate via natural selection. It’s hard to model homosexuality as anything other than detrimental to the gene or genes that contribute to it. The only model that accounts for this would be if homosexuality is an occasional side effect of some other traits or behaviors that increase fertility.
- bencollier49 8y agoWhither worker bees?
- toasterlovin 8y agoHaplodiploidy. Specifically, the relatedness section on this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplodiploidy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplodiploidy
- SubiculumCode 8y agoNot taking a side in this debate but sometimes population level selection occurs.
- toasterlovin 8y agoYou’re right. I should have said evolution happens at the gene level, not selection.