I don’t see that as a complete refutation of Handicap. As to it exactly cancelling out, you see plenty of + feedback loops in evolution that should but don’t. Second, of course these handicaps will manifest in “aesthetically pleasing” symmetry, as these also broadcast health
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Replying to @Epyphyte @RichardDawkins
For me, the initial point of interest is that the handicap (good genes) principle, though intellectually seductive, has failed consistently in research on human mate choice. Actually, that research has turned into a debacle.
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Zahavi's handicap principle pitches sexual selection against natural selection. The extinction of The Irish Elk via huge antlers is similar and illustrates sexual selection simply can't win against natural selection. Unfortunately gene centric thinking turns all this on its head.
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I have trouble with “can’t” as It’s all probabilistic. Different environmental conditions are going to modify relative fitness of features constantly and modify the feedback. It’s more complex than one vs. the other. Thinking about them in conceptual isolation misses this.
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The main point about NS is it's the final filter.
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Well of course it is! But I don’t think that diminishes sexual selections effects, in driving speciation for instance.
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No but it removes Zahavi as a 'handicap' test of selfish genes.
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Right ok, I lost the thread there for a sec, no pun intended. I’d never suggest it’s the whole picture, but still, perhaps due to my own fondness for it, feel that it has some role.
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It does; look up The Baldwin Effect.
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I’m never one to think that any one theory is exhaustive, perhaps out of indecisiveness. Had Never heard of it, at first glance, you are saying these features arise out of say, trad. sexual selection and then are reinforced by adaptive learned behavior?
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Here is my take on the Baldwin effect. Interesting Psychology Perona, by the way: https://plus.google.com/101046916407340625977/posts/BsHfE9rP7xd …
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