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Teaching as an exaptation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2015

Paul E. Smaldino  and
Emily K. Newton
Paul E. Smaldino
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616. paul.smaldino@gmail.comhttp://www.smaldino.com
Emily K. Newton
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA 94901. eknewton@gmail.comhttp://emilyknewton.weebly.com/
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Abstract

We appreciate and endorse Kline's ethological taxonomy and its application. However, the definition of teaching she presents is problematic, as it replaces mentalistic intent with intention on the part of natural selection. We discuss problems with the strict adaptationist view and suggest instead that the five forms of teaching presented in the taxonomy may constitute exaptations rather than adaptations.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 38 , 2015 , e66
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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