Taking views expressed in Dawkins' The Selfish Gene

 

Which of these 2 survival machines is more likely to reproduce successfully based solely on physical appearance?

 

A

 

 

B

 

 

Further, would it be possible for these 2 to mate based solely on physical appearance?

 

Third, would either be compromising were they to settle for one another?

 

From my point of view, the male is at an advantage, his appearance seems quite natural, as if very little effort has been put into it, whereas the female has clearly made use of a hair stylist, or at least hair styling equipment, and perhaps hired a photographer and lighting staff to accentuate her features - this is economically inefficient, and in a hypothetical scenario where competition is at an extreme I expect this to be a critical factor.

 

please Vote

 

also feel free to point out the evolutionary inadequacies of this petty investigation

If nature programs have taught me anything, it's that females of any species have a lot less difficulty in reproducing than males. It's always the males that have to fight over the chance to mate, whereas for females it's practically guaranteed that they'd be able to have offspring if given the chance.

If nature programs have taught me anything, it's that females of any species have a lot less difficulty in reproducing than males. It's always the males that have to fight over the chance to mate, whereas for females it's practically guaranteed that they'd be able to have offspring if given the chance.

This was my first thought as well.

Taking views expressed in Dawkins' The Selfish Gene

 

Which of these 2 survival machines is more likely to reproduce successfully based solely on physical appearance?

 

 

What is there in Dawkins' work which could possibly have any connection to such a stupid question?

"It's always the males that have to fight over the chance to mate, whereas for females it's practically guaranteed that they'd be able to have offspring if given the chance."

 

Yes, but you've left out 1/2 the equation - the females are always active in this too. Even when it is males fighting it is always in some sense the females actually choosing their mates. When males fight for reproductive dominance they are doing so because the female won't mate with just anyone. Sexual Selection was Darwin's other great idea (Natural Selection was the first). In most species where there is direct competition among males for mates the nature of that competition tells the females something important about the males; grizzlies wrestle, giraffe smack necks, gorillas threaten each other. Those behaviors arose because they help the females in making their decisions about mating. In most species there is no direct competition* between males so it is much easier to see the female driving the mating selection, but they are doing it as well when the males fight each other - they are making choices.

 

*meaning fighting - most species have some kind of male-male competition

You are assuming that the female is willing.

 

 

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Edited July 6, 20169 yr by Endy0816