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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!ward
From: ward@hao.UUCP (Mike Ward)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: Lame?  LAME???
Message-ID: <1454@hao.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 11-Apr-85 08:36:05 EST
Article-I.D.: hao.1454
Posted: Thu Apr 11 08:36:05 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 15-Apr-85 01:28:42 EST
References: <1576@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: High Altitude Obs./NCAR, Boulder CO
Lines: 15

> It is not at all clear how BEHAVIOR in individuals or even groups brings about
> 'changes' in the body.  Changes that can be passed on to future generations!

The idea that behavior can be a survival trait that is passed along
to one's progeny stems from the assumption that, in "animals",
behavior is genetically endowed instinct.  Thus, it is the changes
in the body that bring about the behavior, not the other way
around.

This assumption has in no way been proven, and if untrue makes
the behavior-as-survival-trait idea a lot harder to swallow.
Of course, once an organism has developed sufficient social mechanisms
to ensure that learned behavior (culture) can be passed to future
generations by means of education, the whole problem becomes
much more interesting.