Nancy K. Dess: Occidental College

Glimpses at our primate relatives and diverse human cultures provide prima facie evidence that as a species, we are capable of far more benevolent, just, and healthful living than exists in many places. Illuminating human nature through evolutionary reasoning has great potential to make public policy more effective and more humane. To fulfill this promise, historical and political realities that constrain or are conducive to evolutionary reasoning must be appraised. In addition, five unhelpful habits must be broken: analysis by false dichotomy; anthropodenial; perpetuation of aggression myths; oversimplification; and wishful thinking. Understanding the kind of animal we are may be as helpful to overcoming these obstacles as it will be to the formulation of good policy.