I'm not saying play isn't adaptive. I'm saying that kittens play not because they're optimizing their fitness, but because they're intrinsically motivated to (it feels good). The reason it feels good has nothing to do with the kitten, but with the evolutionary process that "designed" that adaption.
It may seem like a minor distinction, but it helps to understand why, for example, people have sex with birth control. We don't have sex to maximize our genetic fitness, but because it feels good (or a thousand other reasons). We are adaption executers, not fitness optimizers. --- On Mon, 8/25/08, Vladimir Nesov <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Actually, kittens play because it's fun. Evolution > has equipped them with the rewarding sense of fun because it > optimizes their fitness as hunters. But kittens are > adaptation executors, evolution is the fitness optimizer. > It's a subtle but important distinction. > > > > See > http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/11/adaptation-exec.html > > > > Saying that play is not adaptive requires some backing (I > expect it > plays some role, so you need to be more convincing). > > -- > Vladimir Nesov > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://causalityrelay.wordpress.com/ > > > ------------------------------------------- > agi > Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now > RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/ > Modify Your Subscription: > https://www.listbox.com/member/?&; > Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com ------------------------------------------- agi Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/ Modify Your Subscription: https://www.listbox.com/member/?member_id=8660244&id_secret=111637683-c8fa51 Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
