Newsweek: Massimo Pigliucci

Dr. Massimo Pigliucci, who spoke at the Bergen Society in January 2009 on the topic of What's Science Got To Do With It?: When Scientists Talk Nonsense About Religion, is quoted in the June 29 issue of Newsweek. The article, titled Can We Blame Our Behavior on Stone-Age Genes, expresses scientific views that attempt to debunk some of the more outlandish claims of evolutionary psychology, including that of the "rape gene", which claims that rape persists in modern society due in part to the success of men 100,000 year ago who increased their offspring through forced sexual intercourse.

Dr. Pigliucci is quoted as saying "Evolutionary stories of human behavior make for a good narrative, but not good science." Biological change is guided by the environment, including social and cultural factors. If that environment is dynamic, as it is for humans, then behavior will adapt accordingly. Thus, whether or not rape was a successful breeding strategy in our evolutionary past does not necessarily come to bear on today's behavior.