In this blog post, we will examine whether rape is a behavior that developed as an adaptation for reproduction in the course of human evolution from a biological and evolutionary psychological perspective.
“Adaptation” is a basic concept in biology that refers to the process by which organisms change to become more advantageous in their habitat. Adaptation is one of the most important factors for organisms to survive in their environment. Examples of adaptation include changes in an animal’s body color or leg structures that allow it to escape predators quickly. While most people think of physical changes like body structure or color when they hear the term “adaptation,” there are actually many more diverse examples. Adaptation is a comprehensive concept that encompasses not only physical changes but also behavioral patterns and physiological changes.
The book I would like to introduce today, “Darwin’s Table,” features two teams—the Gould team and the Dawkins team—engaged in a heated debate on the topic, “Is rape an adaptation?” In this article, I will present my own argument regarding this debate, which the two teams were unable to resolve. The book delves deeply into the complexity and multifaceted nature of adaptation while vividly conveying the biological debate.
In the book, the Dawkins team strongly argues that “rape is an adaptation,” while the Gould team asserts that “rape is not an adaptation.” The Dawkins team argues that, from a purely scientific perspective, rape is an adaptation for male reproduction. In response, the Gould team counters that there is insufficient evidence to support the claim that rape is an adaptation, arguing instead that rape is a byproduct of human behavior. Following this, both teams engage in a broader discussion about adaptation, moving beyond the specific case of rape, in response to criticism that the term “adaptation” is being applied too loosely.
Jang Dae-ik, author of the book Darwin’s Table, watched the debate and argued that rape is an adaptation. He used obesity as an example to explain his argument. During the hunter-gatherer era, humans learned methods that were advantageous for survival and reproduction, making them highly advantageous for survival and reproduction. This system was an adaptation. However, with the recent surge in high-calorie foods, biological changes have failed to keep pace with rapid environmental changes, leading to the emergence of obesity as a disease. The author argues that just as obesity, a form of adaptation, is not inevitable, rape is also not inevitable. He further claims that rape is an adaptation, not an instinct, and therefore can be prevented in a manner similar to obesity. Additionally, the author asserts that the adaptiveness of a behavior is separate from its moral correctness, arguing that nature is not judged by ethical standards, thereby silencing readers who might raise ethical issues.
While I support the claim that rape is adaptive, I want to make it clear that this does not provide ethical justification. The biological concept of adaptation is explanatory, not prescriptive. Therefore, just because an action is adaptive does not mean that it should be socially acceptable. Society must regulate behavior through ethical standards and legal frameworks, separate from biological adaptability.
Like the author, I also believe that rape is adaptive. In this article, I will focus on rape and reproduction. Here are the reasons why I believe rape is adaptive. First, to conclude, rape increases the reproductive success of males. According to a professor at Stanford University in the United States, the semen of men who have committed rape has higher levels of antibody-forming hormones than that of other men. This stimulates the ovaries of women, causing them to release more hormones that induce ovulation, thereby increasing the probability of fertilization between sperm and eggs. Ultimately, the probability of pregnancy through rape is more than twice as high as that of consensual sexual intercourse between women and men. This can be seen as decisive evidence that rape is an adaptation for reproduction.
Now let’s consider the opposing view. Opponents argue that rape is not an adaptation for reproduction from the perspective of the “species.” From the perspective of the species, the number of individuals is not the only important factor. Even if there are many individuals, if many of them carry genes that are disadvantageous for survival, the species may easily face extinction. Ultimately, what matters for a species is the quality of its genes. Here, does a species that values gene quality need inferior genes that are disadvantageous for reproduction and therefore require rape? No, it does not. They would argue that since a species does not need inferior genes, the claim that rape is an adaptation for reproduction is incorrect.
However, should we consider this from the perspective of the “species”? I do not think so. Rape is not something done by the entire species but by individual organisms, so it should be interpreted from the perspective of the individual, not the species. While reproduction is typically achieved through consensual sexual intercourse between males and females, for individuals who cannot reproduce through ordinary means, rape becomes the most efficient method of reproduction. In other words, through rape, the individual achieves reproduction that would otherwise be difficult, passing on their genes to future generations and increasing the reproductive probability of the species. This has the advantage of increasing the quantity of reproduction, even if it lowers the quality.
On the other hand, those who oppose this argument will likely focus on the perspective of women. When women are raped, numerous problems arise. First, they are forced into unwanted pregnancies, enduring prolonged suffering during the pregnancy period. During this time, they must endure the pain on their own, and after the child is born, they may have to raise the child alone or, in extreme cases, abandon it. This is immense suffering from the woman’s perspective. Additionally, reproduction through rape leads to problems after the child is born.
In the past, children born as a result of rape often starved to death or were abandoned. In other words, while rape increases the probability of pregnancy, it does not necessarily lead to the birth of many offspring. I do not believe this argument is logically sound. First, while it may not be an ethically correct expression, in reproduction, the male is the giver and the female is the receiver. Ultimately, what is crucial for reproduction is the male.
Whether women are victims or not, increasing the probability of reproduction for males, who are the primary agents of reproduction, is important, so the suffering and harm of women are not considered. Additionally, the low probability of a child’s survival is a less relevant point. Rape is a method primarily used by males who cannot reproduce through normal means. For them, the probability of a child’s survival is not important. They cannot easily pass on their genes to future generations without rape. Ultimately, they must pass on their genes to future generations, even if the child’s chances of survival are low, and thus choose rape as a means of reproduction.
So far, we have focused on whether rape is an adaptation for reproduction. Those in favor argue that rape increases the probability of reproduction and therefore claim that rape is an adaptation. However, the opposing side argues that from the perspective of the species, rape has a negative impact on reproduction because it leaves behind inferior genes. In response, the pro-rape side argues that rape is not for the species but for the individual, and that it is an effective way for males who cannot reproduce through normal means to pass on their genes to their offspring. The opposing side points out that rape is not carried out from the perspective of the individual when looking at women, and that rape does not increase the survival rate of children. However, the supporting side concludes the discussion by emphasizing the importance of rape for men who are not ordinary, citing the roles of men and women.
In summary, the proponents argue that rape is an efficient reproductive method from an individual perspective, while the opponents argue that rape is an inefficient reproductive method that creates genetically inferior offspring from a species perspective. However, through this debate, I have become even more convinced that rape is logically viewed from an individual perspective and that rape is an adaptation.
