AN EVOLUTIONARY REASON TO GIVE UP | More Intelligent Life
Rated • 1 review • evolution, depression • moreintelligentlife.com
From the page: "Now it seems a scientific study has proven an evolutionary reason for depression:
Dr [Randolph] Nesseâ€s hypothesis is that, as pain stops you doing damaging physical things, so low mood stops you doing damaging mental onesâ€"in particular, pursuing unreachable goals. Pursuing such goals is a waste of energy and resources. Therefore, he argues, there is likely to be an evolved mechanism that identifies certain goals as unattainable and inhibits their pursuitâ€"and he believes that low mood is at least part of that mechanism."
Dr [Randolph] Nesseâ€s hypothesis is that, as pain stops you doing damaging physical things, so low mood stops you doing damaging mental onesâ€"in particular, pursuing unreachable goals. Pursuing such goals is a waste of energy and resources. Therefore, he argues, there is likely to be an evolved mechanism that identifies certain goals as unattainable and inhibits their pursuitâ€"and he believes that low mood is at least part of that mechanism."
