Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Some wild and crazy hypotheses

“I cannot give any scientist of any age better advice than this: the intensity of the conviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing on
whether it is true or not.” (Medawar, 1979, p. 39). Medawar, P.B., 1979. Advice to a Young Scientist. Harper & Row, New York).

I remember that, during my years of doing research, unexpected research results proved most of my hypotheses were wrong. However this wrongness was a stepping stone to a deeper and more valid understanding of the problem or phenomenon. It is with this in mind that I pose the following “wild and crazy” hypotheses.

I propose that there are some very basic principles or laws underlying life forms on this planet:

Life forms maximize energy availability for reproduction and associated processes and minimize the amount of energy expended in carrying out reproduction and related functions such as food digestion. I call this the energy consideration principle.

Evolution itself acts in accordance with the energy consideration with adaptation being a structural/functional change in a species which increases the ratio of energy available to energy consumed.

Adaptation is a function which depends on the interaction of genetic variables and environmental variables.

For many species this interactivity between genetic and environmental factors has resulted in social living to enhance resource (energy) availability and the efficiency of energy expending processes such as hunting.

The human brain represents the pinnacle of interactivity with postnatal development of the cerebral cortex through neuroplasticity facilitated by a relatively long period of nurturing and both informal and formal education/learning.


It is impossible for any one person to be cognizant of the latest advances in the varied sub disciplines of psychology ranging from neuropsychology to evolutionary psychology. Indeed I think that one reason psychology is in a kind of disarray right now, with so many disparate sub disciplines and competing explanatory theories, is that there are too few, if any, general principles or “laws” which could be used to integrate findings and theories. I think the development of such fundamental principles would help psychologists synthesize the vast amount of research data being reported today in scientific journals.

You are invited to make comments about these hypotheses or to suggest alternative ones. It is hoped that the speculations, reflections, and ongoing discussions in Sci-mat will contribute in some small ways to solutions for the many problems faced by modern human civilization.

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