Posted on 05/17/2005 8:12:54 AM PDT by JAWs
Evolutionary scientists have never had difficulty explaining the male orgasm, closely tied as it is to reproduction.
But the Darwinian logic behind the female orgasm has remained elusive. Women can have sexual intercourse and even become pregnant - doing their part for the perpetuation of the species - without experiencing orgasm. So what is its evolutionary purpose?
Over the last four decades, scientists have come up with a variety of theories, arguing, for example, that orgasm encourages women to have sex and, therefore, reproduce or that it leads women to favor stronger and healthier men, maximizing their offspring's chances of survival.
But in a new book, Dr. Elisabeth A. Lloyd, a philosopher of science and professor of biology at Indiana University, takes on 20 leading theories and finds them wanting. The female orgasm, she argues in the book, "The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution," has no evolutionary function at all.
Rather, Dr. Lloyd says the most convincing theory is one put forward in 1979 by Dr. Donald Symons, an anthropologist.
That theory holds that female orgasms are simply artifacts - a byproduct of the parallel development of male and female embryos in the first eight or nine weeks of life.
In that early period, the nerve and tissue pathways are laid down for various reflexes, including the orgasm, Dr. Lloyd said. As development progresses, male hormones saturate the embryo, and sexuality is defined.
In boys, the penis develops, along with the potential to have orgasms and ejaculate, while "females get the nerve pathways for orgasm by initially having the same body plan."
Nipples in men are similarly vestigial, Dr. Lloyd pointed out.
While nipples in woman serve a purpose, male nipples appear to be simply left over from the initial stage of embryonic development.
The female orgasm, she said, "is for fun."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
We got the better deal. :)
Women are smart enough to know where babies come from, and the human race has the most difficult childbirth, and prolonged child raising time period of any species.
If it weren't fun ... who'd do it?
It can also impede them. Like many things, it all depends on the timing.
Bingo!
Good thing the Times is there to keep us up-to-date on breaking news.
How do we know they aren't? Who the heck has ever felt both? from the perspective of the feel-ee, that is.
I think I saw the same show... orgasm before sex in wimmen actually hinders pregnancy. Not that there's anything wrong with that ;~D
The doctor is saying about the female sex organs the same thing you're saying about male nipples.....only we know the female orgasm isn't under-developed or vestigial, so it's entirely logical to assume the doctor doesn't have the slightest idea at all of what she's talking about.
Just in case. Ping!
How can you tell she's having more fun? Is she laughing?
Nope not remotely.. they are having a dozen or more O's to my one... they are having way more fun... but they do always come back again.. which is fine by me.
Oh, I saw it.
But thanks anyway, JJ!
Men's nipples are VERY sensitive.
You just have to know what to do is all...
Saw this, thought of you.
The "just for fun" aspect of female nipples is learned, you know. There's no evolutionary need for them to be pleasurable. I would argue that if mens nipples were emotionally thought of as sensual, they would be sensual.
It's all up here >>>points to brain<<<
BBell wrote:
How can you tell she's having more fun? Is she laughing?
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