Theory of Human Monogamy's Evolution

by B.J. on 1/18/2008 04:32:00 AM 0 comments Print this post

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From my Medical Anthrpology book:

"Freeland (1976) suggests that many aspcts of the social organization of terrestrial Old World monkeys may minimize the probability of acquiring new pathogens or the impact of a disease already harbored by an individual in the group.

He argues that the composition of a primate group itself and sexual fiedlity of individual primates to other members of the group is the result of selection for the avoidance of new diseases."

According to this theory, a big reason we are monogamous is to avoid diseases.

Given that medicine has traditionally been interwoven with religion and religion has been a bedrock for virtually all of known human societies, it seems like monogamy was just the most sensible way of living and so became prescribed for everyone (at least for healers and priests).

If restoring a type of karmic balance be it physical, social, emotional was the basic component of human healing in most societies, a deprivation, a sacrifice, a "controlled" a "balanced" way of holding would be needed to maintain "well-being", or a sense of balance. To stave off these diseases, people would just need to do things in a "balanced" way.

Now I'm just wondering what the history of knowing "balance" and karma is.

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