philh comments on Open thread, Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2014 - Less Wrong

5 Post author: MrMind 27 October 2014 08:58AM

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Comment author: philh 29 October 2014 05:45:09PM 4 points [-]

The person who uses ev psych to justify their romantic preferences to potential and current partners. (There's a generalisation of this that I'm not sure how to describe, but I've fallen into it when talking with friends about the game-theoretical value of friendship.)

Comment author: fubarobfusco 30 October 2014 07:40:05AM 1 point [-]

One possible generalization: Being insecure about personal preferences, and so seeking to show that one's personal likes are rooted directly in something universal — something outside one's own personal history, culture, subculture, upbringing, etc.

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 31 October 2014 01:24:47PM 1 point [-]

If the problem is that you shouldn't have to justify your romantic preferences then I can see where you are coming from, but if you do want a justification, what is wrong with evo psych?

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 01 November 2014 03:28:05PM 0 points [-]

Evo psych tends to be too general and too unproven.

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 04 November 2014 12:11:53PM 0 points [-]

I dunno if that's true, but regardless its a general argument against evo psych, rather than an aguement against using ev psych to justify romantic preferences.