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Grandmothers increase their offspring’s genetic impact, for daughters by increasing survival rates, for sons by increasing numbers of offspring. http://en.wiki

Grandmothers increase their offspring’s genetic impact, for daughters by increasing survival rates, for sons by increasing numbers of offspring. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandmother_hypothesis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandmother_hypothesis > The grandmother hypothesis is a hypothesis to explain the existence of menopause in human life history by identifying the adaptive value of extended kin networking. It builds on the previously postulated "mother hypothesis" which states that as mothers age, the costs of reproducing become greater, and energy devoted to those activities would be better spent helping her offspring in their reproductive efforts. It suggests that by redirecting their energy onto those of their offspring, grandmothers can better ensure the survival of their genes through younger generations.

bilbo0s 7y ago
That's a hypothesis. Again, reproduction is happening prior to any potential partner even knowing of a grandmother in many places in the animal kingdom. Even for humans actually. So you're subscribing to the more adaptationalist line of reasoning for the existence of menopause. Which is fine. But you should concede that fact. Many others might subscribe to any of the other hypotheses for reproductive senescence. I subscribe to the artifactualist line of reasoning. ie - people just started living too long, and our bodies adapted for a 20-40 year life span. But there are numerous other hypotheses out there, many of them every bit as plausible as my artifactualist hypothesis. I only subscribe to the artifactualist hypothesis because it is the hypothesis most in line with the theory of evolution.
- gowld 7y ago
  How long is too long? A woman is fertile through age 40 (and useful to care for offspring for another 10-20 years), a man is fertile through age 80 (and a genetically fit male would have valuable sperm long after his fitness showed in his phenotype). Why would our bodies adapt for a 20-40 year life span?
crazydoggers 7y ago
If the grandmother hypothesis is true, then you’re still talking kin selection effect via grandparents, which is very different than group selection. I concede that kin selection is very possible, but again, as this is an unproven hypothesis at the moment, still a matter of scientific debate, hence not really clear or obvious.

bilbo0s 7y ago

That's a hypothesis. Again, reproduction is happening prior to any potential partner even knowing of a grandmother in many places in the animal kingdom. Even for humans actually. So you're subscribing to the more adaptationalist line of reasoning for the existence of menopause. Which is fine. But you should concede that fact. Many others might subscribe to any of the other hypotheses for reproductive senescence. I subscribe to the artifactualist line of reasoning. ie - people just started living too long, and our bodies adapted for a 20-40 year life span. But there are numerous other hypotheses out there, many of them every bit as plausible as my artifactualist hypothesis. I only subscribe to the artifactualist hypothesis because it is the hypothesis most in line with the theory of evolution.

gowld 7y ago
How long is too long? A woman is fertile through age 40 (and useful to care for offspring for another 10-20 years), a man is fertile through age 80 (and a genetically fit male would have valuable sperm long after his fitness showed in his phenotype). Why would our bodies adapt for a 20-40 year life span?

crazydoggers 7y ago

If the grandmother hypothesis is true, then you’re still talking kin selection effect via grandparents, which is very different than group selection. I concede that kin selection is very possible, but again, as this is an unproven hypothesis at the moment, still a matter of scientific debate, hence not really clear or obvious.