This foundational text in evolutionary psychology, co-authored by John Tooby and Leda Cosmides, explores the human mind as a collection of evolved adaptations designed to solve recurrent problems faced by our ancestors. It argues that the mind is not a blank slate but rather comprises specialized mental organs or modules. The book delves into how these adaptations shape human behavior, cognition, and culture, providing a framework for understanding universal aspects of human nature.
John Tubi talks about with gene decay.
""John Tooby is mentioned in the conversation in the context of "gene decay," a concept related to evolutionary pressures and genetics. "The Adapted Mind" is a seminal work by Tooby (and Cosmides) that lays the groundwork for evolutionary psychology, which directly relates to the discussion of genetic influences on human traits and the impact of modern environments on these traits. The speaker brings up Tooby's idea of "gene decay" to discuss how modern healthcare might remove ancestral selection pressures, leading to an accumulation of suboptimal genetic mutations, using myopia as an example."