31. Just So

Synopsis - Dr Kipling says that any human behaviour can be explained by our history as evolved beings and challenges anyone to throw up behaviour that tests this idea. "Why do kids wear their baseball caps the wrong way around?" Can Dr Kipling answer? Why yes, with two rather convincing reasons that relate to Darwin's survival of the fittest theory.

The reasons are quite convincing if taken at face value - I don't the need the protection of the cap and hence give the idea that I am a stronger male, and I am above the regular rules of cap wearing which make a superior male.

I think most ball player don't wear the cap the right way around is that the visor interferes with one's field of vision. I have a friend who wore a cap to study for the exams - it helped him focus by 'cutting out' distractions. Thinking cap I guess :)

Evolutionary psychology all sounds like a matter of retrofitting a rationale with the benefit of hindsight. Sure, men and women still innately want to mate, and that either party puts their best foot forward to impress the opposite sex. But the games and rules may have changed quite a bit, especially in urban societies. Also more women no longer think that they need a man to be happy, if happiness is their ultimate goal of life. Men on the other hand are horny creatures and very few detract from the notion they need to sow their seed. Perhaps in the modern context, it's more money than muscles that does the talking among men. Also I think more often that not, we are seeking a connection of the mind rather than physical attraction for long term relationship to happen.

There are possibly other reasons that work with the question, as Baggini as pointed out. Will it work with predictions though? Perhaps more work needs to be done in this area. If the theory needs to work, then evolutionary psychologists need to make predictions and see if they pan out they way expect. Financial crisis? Somali piracy? What's next for Japanese pop culture madness?