Scientific theories never dictate human values, but they can often cast new light on ethical issues. From a sexual selection viewpoint, moral philosophy and political theory have mostly been attempts to shift male human sexual competitiveness from physical violence to the peaceful accumulation of wealth and status. The rights to life, liberty, and property are cultural inventions that function, in part, to keep males from killing and stealing from one another while they compete to attract sexual partners. Geoffrey Miller
About This Quote

The above quotation speaks about the usefulness of science in the overall development of society. It also gives examples of how science can influence human values. The evolution of morality, including the recognition of human rights, has largely been driven by the desire to prevent people from committing violence against one another.

Source: The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped The Evolution Of Human Nature

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  1. Scientific theories never dictate human values, but they can often cast new light on ethical issues. From a sexual selection viewpoint, moral philosophy and political theory have mostly been attempts to shift male human sexual competitiveness from physical violence to the peaceful accumulation of wealth...
  2. Existing political philosophies all developed before evolutionary game theory, so they do not take equilibrium selection into account. Socialism pretends that individuals are not selfish sexual competitors, so it ignores equilibria altogether. Conservatism pretends that there is only one possible equilibrium–a nostalgic version of the...
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