Evolutionary Psychologists claim that their account of human nature
follows from applying the principles of evolutionary biology to the study
of the human mind. Consequently, to truly understand Evolutionary Psychology,
and to be in a position to critically evaluate it, it is essential to
have a basic understanding of evolutionary theory. This chapter provides
the necessary introduction to the fundamentals of evolutionary biology.
For the initiate, this may be a slow go. But theoretical principles and concepts
explained in this chapter will repeatedly turn up later in our examination
of Evolutionary Psychology, so understanding them is a necessary
first step toward understanding Evolutionary Psychology.
In developing their account of human nature, Evolutionary Psychologists
build on (their interpretation of ) the reigning orthodoxy in evolutionary
biology. Aspects of this reigning orthodoxy are currently being
