<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_psychology" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Evolutionary psychology</a> is a theoretical approach in psychology that examines cognition and behavior from a modern evolutionary perspective.
The core idea is that &quot;psychological traits and mechanisms are either functional products of natural and sexual selection or non-adaptive by-products of other adaptive traits&quot;.</p>
<p><em>Thesis</em></p>
<p><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-our-brains-do-not-intuitively-grasp-probabilities/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Homo sapiens subjects seem to be inherently bad with probabilities</a>, and current humans seem to &quot;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/th03gt/why_do_a_majority_of_people_suck_at_math/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">suck at math</a>&quot; in general, so &quot;evolutionary psychology would argue&quot; that mathematical skills are not selected by natural nor sexual selection at the individual level. I guess the same could be told of philosophy, or science, for some formal definition of it.</p>
<p><em>AntiThesis</em></p>
<p>But if you define &quot;Scientific skills&quot; as the ability to learn from your environment and history in order to be able to make accurate predictions for the future in the short term (e.g. this place has good fruits, this place is dangerous), medium term (e.g. winter comes after autumn, one should migrate to a place with a warmer climate) and  long term (e.g. clean a wound with water otherwise it will get infected), being able to do basic Science is definitely  a psychological trait selected by both natural selection (an individual with such a trait would be more likely to survive) and sexual selection (an individual with such a trait would be able to offer more and better food to their mates). <a href="https://venturebeat.com/business/next-time-someone-claims-theyre-bad-at-math-show-them-this-study/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Some even claim to have found some genes related to learning.</a></p>
<p><em>Conclusion</em></p>
<p>So, I think that your explanation (even though you do not seem to think much of it, &quot;All I can think of&quot;) is the right one, that &quot;the evolutionary advantage is that those people are more likely avoid danger, survive and pass on their genes&quot;. If it seems to you that it lacks rigor, I think that most evolutionary psychology arguments are of the same order: it is much more difficult to prove things formally in social sciences than in Mathematics!</p>
<p>Hope it helps!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-21T10:10:17.747Z
2023-09-21T10:10:17.747Z
J.y B.y
<p><strong>What is the evolutionary psychology explanation of people engaging in intellectual activities (like mathematics, science or philosophy)?</strong></p>
<p>All I can think of is that such activities lead to models of the world that are closer to the way the world really is — hence the evolutionary advantage is that those people are more likely avoid danger, survive and pass on their genes. This is just speculation, though.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-21T06:46:16.797Z
Welcome. I can come up with a few answers, yet everything hinges on definitions; what do you mean by *'intellectual*' and '*models of the world*'? The very best way of solving unclarities and ambiguities in questions is providing some background research; what did you learn so far?
AliceD
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-21T09:50:14.450Z
Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer.
Community
<intelligence><evolutionary-psychology>
Why engage in intellectual activities?
Alex
# Why engage in intellectual activities?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-09-20)

**What is the evolutionary psychology explanation of people engaging in intellectual activities (like mathematics, science or philosophy)?**

All I can think of is that such activities lead to models of the world that are closer to the way the world really is — hence the evolutionary advantage is that those people are more likely avoid danger, survive and pass on their genes. This is just speculation, though.

**Tags:** intelligence, evolutionary-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome. I can come up with a few answers, yet everything hinges on definitions; what do you mean by *'intellectual*' and '*models of the world*'? The very best way of solving unclarities and ambiguities in questions is providing some background research; what did you learn so far?  
> **username_2**: Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-09-21. Score: 1

[Evolutionary psychology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_psychology) is a theoretical approach in psychology that examines cognition and behavior from a modern evolutionary perspective.
The core idea is that "psychological traits and mechanisms are either functional products of natural and sexual selection or non-adaptive by-products of other adaptive traits".

*Thesis*

[Homo sapiens subjects seem to be inherently bad with probabilities](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-our-brains-do-not-intuitively-grasp-probabilities/), and current humans seem to "[suck at math](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/th03gt/why_do_a_majority_of_people_suck_at_math/)" in general, so "evolutionary psychology would argue" that mathematical skills are not selected by natural nor sexual selection at the individual level. I guess the same could be told of philosophy, or science, for some formal definition of it.

*AntiThesis*

But if you define "Scientific skills" as the ability to learn from your environment and history in order to be able to make accurate predictions for the future in the short term (e.g. this place has good fruits, this place is dangerous), medium term (e.g. winter comes after autumn, one should migrate to a place with a warmer climate) and long term (e.g. clean a wound with water otherwise it will get infected), being able to do basic Science is definitely a psychological trait selected by both natural selection (an individual with such a trait would be more likely to survive) and sexual selection (an individual with such a trait would be able to offer more and better food to their mates). [Some even claim to have found some genes related to learning.](https://venturebeat.com/business/next-time-someone-claims-theyre-bad-at-math-show-them-this-study/)

*Conclusion*

So, I think that your explanation (even though you do not seem to think much of it, "All I can think of") is the right one, that "the evolutionary advantage is that those people are more likely avoid danger, survive and pass on their genes". If it seems to you that it lacks rigor, I think that most evolutionary psychology arguments are of the same order: it is much more difficult to prove things formally in social sciences than in Mathematics!

Hope it helps!


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