Trivers also pointed out that the National Review citation ignored the role of the candidates' mates in the production of progeny. Note to Williamson: females also contribute genetic material in reproduction.

Nevertheless, kudos to the National Review for attempting to wrestle with evolutionary theory, even if Williamson took to it with all the dexterity of a man in a straitjacket. By the way, Trivers's latest book is entitled The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human Life. When I'm done with my copy, it's all yours, Kevin.

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN ONLINE
Comment on this article at ScientificAmerican.com/nov2012

This article was originally published with the title A Trivers Runs through It.

7 Comments

1. 1. sunnystrobe 09:28 AM 11/2/12

   As a non-American female, I am highly amused by this- not very- SCIENTIFIC American male phantasy about your two presidential candidates.
   If it was a competition between two sperm donors vying for a contribution at a fertility clinic, this point scoring of offspring would make sense; likewise, too, if America was about to vote for a hereditary monarchy to compete with Elizabeth Regina of the United Kingdom.
   But to my knowledge, there is nothing in the American Constitution which would warrant a high female vote for the most fertile candidate.
   In fact,President Truman made it with only ONE daughter, and so did President Clinton!
   I wonder if it would help to associate
   Mitt Romney with a polygamous Mormon forefather..
   If Charles Darwin were still alive, no doubt he would smile up his sleeve; proving his Theory was right!

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2. 2. Derick in TO 11:07 AM 11/2/12

   Romney's basically a tribal chieftain, huh Kev?
   
   Here's a short list of places here tribal leaders are in charge today:
   
   Syria
   Saudi Arabia
   Iraq
   Iran
   Afghanistan
   Waziristan
   
   Shall I go on? These places are not exactly pinnacles of democracy, and probably not good role models for US politics.
   
   Maybe America deserves a leader who's a little more socially evolved. Western civilization outgrew tribalism a long time ago.
   
   Or at least some of us did.

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3. 3. Derick in TO in reply to sunnystrobe 05:20 PM 11/2/12

   Only 2 commenters on this article, and neither of them are American. The hopeless optimist in me chooses to interpret this as Americans being able to see how ridiculous this is, and just ignoring it.
   
   The realist in me knows that this is probably only half of the answer. The other half of the answer is the half of Americans who simply deny evolution outright.
   
   Realism is depressing. I think I'll go back to fantasy for a little while.

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4. 4. meadi*r 08:05 PM 11/30/12

   I subscribed to SA BS - Before Steve (in fact, BS&M - Before Steve & Michael). I enjoy reading it from cover to cover (skipping some things like chemistry that's over my head.) I always get to the back with mixed emotions. Sad that it is the end of a good read. Anticipation of amusement by S&M.
   
   But this time, I was a little disappointed with your tone. I think Trivers' response - “HAHAHAHAHA!” - was exactly right to an article that appears to have tongue planted firmly in cheek.
   
   Maybe you are a superior mind-reader, and know that Kevin Williamson was actually serious. Even so, your last paragraph was a little heavy-handed, and seems more typical of people who try to build up their own status by tearing down other people. Not quite up to Antigravity standards.
   
   But, keep up the good work.

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5. 5. dandens 02:23 AM 12/21/12

   My belief has been that if, in a relationship, the woman is dominant the product is mostly sons; if the man is dominant the product is mostly daughters. I have seen this to be true in real life. I wrote to a Valerie J. Grant of New Zealand. Her book is "Maternal Personality, Evolution and the Sex Ratio", published by Routledge of London and New York. This confirms my rather simple theory quite nicely. I just knew that Obama had the right stuff.

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6. 6. Dave Springer 04:53 PM 12/21/12

   "females also contribute genetic material in reproduction"
   
   Sadly for an article appearing in a science magazine only human males carry the Y chromosome which produces a male offspring. Isn't the XY sex determination scheme in humans like 5th grade science?
   

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7. 7. hartson 03:27 AM 5/17/13

   With the world about to go to 9 BILLION people, I think it is irresponsible to have more than replacement children. I stopped at two when I had my sons. That was when the world was at 3 billion people.

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