On 13 January 2008 Edward Pollack wrote: > [...] Evolutionary psychology/sociobiology posits that we have evolved > a tendency for incest avoidance (due to the deleterious effects of > inbreeding) and that the incest taboos developed to reinforce the > "gut feeling" that most of us have.
This Darwinian argument was, of course, first proposed by Edward Westermarck in 1891. It has since been empirically supported by studies such as those investigating Israelis brought up in Kibbutzim. Melford E. and Audrey G. Spiro write of their study of one specific Kibbutz: "In not one instance has a sabra [an individual born and raised in a Kibbutz] from Kiryat Yedidim married a fellow sabra, nor, to the best of our knowledge, has a sabra had sexual intercourse with a fellow sabra." (1975, p. 347). Again, Tiger and Shepher write of Shepher's research on Kibbutzim: "Using the census data presented in this volume, Shepher demonstrated that... out of some 3,000 kibbutz marriages over three generations there was not one between men and women who had been together during the ages of three and six." (1975, p. 7) References: Spiro, M.E. and Audrey G. (1975). Children of the Kibbutz. Harvard University Press. Tiger, L. and Shepher, J. (1977 [1975]). Women in the Kibbutz. Penguin Books. Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London http://www.esterson.org --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
