Evolutionary psychology on the couch
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Abstract
Evolutionary psychology (EP) is the predominant lens of interpretation in psychology today and is expanding into the general public as a contemporary thought trend. As you may guess, it attempts to apply Darwin’s Theory of Evolution to the field of psychology. It explains observed behavior in contemporary humans as results of hard-wired predispositions produced by natural selection. While speculation has its merits, many of E.P.’s claims seem reactionary and guided by an agenda, as is evidenced by the claims’ poor believability and the lack of data that support them. As a result of an ideological polarization occurring between modern religious extremists and their counter Darwinian fundamentalists,. E.P. performs logical acrobatics to justify its speculation as fact. I aim to demonstrate the logically fallacious nature of E.P. and its ideological character, particularly as a counter-ideological reaction to the social sciences, religiosity, and feminism.