3 ms·
Interpretation: We have an evolutionarily advantageous instinct to maximize short term gains; our reason, however, can override this when we A) view other thing
by ianterrell 15y ago
Interpretation: We have an evolutionarily advantageous instinct to maximize short term gains; our reason, however, can override this when we A) view other things as more important (e.g. honesty), and B) give it time to do its job.
Amusingly, phrasing it this way and combining it with the language in the article, we have 'original sin' arising from evolution. The religious imagery comes not from nowhere, but explains the biology in the best terms it could find. Protoscience.
- pumainmotion 15y agoThats a great connection you've made between seemingly disconnected & distant disciplines. If we figure out the actual biological and chemical processes involved in a human body while it is indulging in synthesizing an 'original sin', that would be a big win in terms expanding our species' knowledge-base. I'm sure there's research out there that explains at least fews bits of it through experiments where they monitor bodily processes when a person is lying. There are some common methods like the lie-detector and GSR methods, but apart from those external monitoring methods, probably also some molecular/cellular-level observations have been made.