Then how does one explain the origin of the complex courtship rituals of peacocks and men? If evolution favors simplicity, why isn’t rape our standard modus operandi? Certainly it is simpler and more efficient than chocolates and dinner-with-the-parents.
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Perhaps because human babies had a higher survival rate when they had more than one parent looking after them, and women don't particularly like hanging out with their rapists.
"If evolution favors simplicity, why isn’t rape our standard modus operandi?"
Because you're not the one in charge, Al.
Human babies have large heads with incompletely formed crania at birth. This of course is part and parcel of having a large brain, but makes labor difficult for the woman and renders the baby virtually incapable of doing anything on its own soon after birth. In this system, the "rapist" reproductive strategy will be less successful than the "caring husband and father" strategy for a few reasons.
Easily answered. Bring 'em on.
Social behavior in humans keeps us and our children alive. It's practically our whole schtick, along with tool use. Rape as standard mode only works when the social order encompasses it and it doesn't have a negative survival value.
This has sometimes happened. The 'marry one's rapist' rule might promote this rather, but generally even then there were social and economic sanctions that could be avoided with a normally bargained-for wife.
Currently, rape has a very negative survival value and an even lower reproductive one, despite laws certain nutjobs are trying to pass. Courtship behavior pays better.
I kinda feel sorry for this person. Kinda.
Wild ducks do sometimes use gang-rape, but as the female sometimes drowns, I don't think it is that efficient, procreation-wise.
A female horse can kick out behind it and seriously hurt the male, if she's less than satisfied. Remember, he's balancing on his hind-legs, with his for-legs on her back. She might puncture his abdomen with her hoofs.
Rearing the offspring will be much simpler and more efficient with two co-operating parents than with just one disgruntled parent.
Because it takes a village.
Coupling is a human norm as far back in history as we have gone, long before your Bible or Evolutionary theory.
Do you understand the human dynamic? Rape as a common thing would disolve the family scenario, the extended family and the village. If you had half an understanding of humans you'd realize murder would follow rape, the society would depopulate and die out.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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