Newsgroups: sci.bio
Path: utzoo!rising
From: rising@utzoo.uucp (Jim Rising)
Subject: More on Forced Copulation
Message-ID: <1988Feb3.110152.9878@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Date: Wed, 3-Feb-88 11:01:51 EST


To reiterate some points that have been made previously, but are still
being discussed, inasmuch as human females sometimes become pregnant
as a consequence of forced copulation, it is at least possible that this
behavior enhances the Darwinian fitness of the males who force copulations.

In humans, forced copulations doubtless occur for many different reasons,
and probably sometimes aberrant or perhaps misdirected sexual behavior.
In any event, to the best of my knowledge no society condones forced
copulation, nor in my opinion should, and I don't think that anyone has
said that.  We doubtless do not understand the biological or psychological
bases of rape in humans at all adequately, but even if we did, that under-
standing would in no way require us to change statues.  It might, however,
help us deal better with the problem.

Incidentally, "normal sex" almost certainly has implications far beyond 
simply procreation (the "Pope's hypothesis").  Certainly, people generally
engage in normal sex without considering their Darwinian fitness, and the
probability of achieving conception are small--would you say 5-10%, without
contraception?  That of course does not mean that copulation does not 
affect one's fitness.  That is doubtless the "ultimate" cause, but not the
"proximate" cause.

--Jim Rising
-- 
Name:   Jim Rising
Mail:   Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto
        Toronto, Ontario, Canada    M5S 1A1
UUCP:   {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!rising