On the Natural Selection of Alternative Models: Evaluation of Explanations in Evolutionary Psychology

Abstract

A central goal ofourtarget article was to evaluate the soundness of evolutionary psychology's epistemology in relation to the critical claim that evolutionary explanations are unfalsifiable. None of the 16 commentators challenge our central assertion-that the methods and strategies employed by evolutionary psychologists to generate and test hypotheses are scientifically defensible-and thus we consider our basic goal to have been achieved. However, the commentators raise a number of thoughtful and thought-provoking points. In our response to these commentaries we focus on a subset of philosophical and metatheoretical issues that we believe are most deserving of further discussion. The first part ofthis rejoinder addresses issues concerning evolutionary psychology and the philosophy of science; the second part addresses issues concerning the core assumptions of evolutionary psychology.