evolution of "sex = love"

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Oh, and holmes: don't dismiss "The Third Monkey" without reading it.

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I'll keep an eye out for it, but I am not going to seek it out (unless I find I have the time). I respect both your and Rei's opinions and both of you guys seem to like it so I imagine there is something interesting within it. However, the examples Rei gave (especially the idea that "cheating" is basic human concept they share with ducks) were not very compelling. It sounded quite ethnocentric. And honestly, I am a little wary of mixing biology and sociology.

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holmes

Well, I'm not sure where she got her ducks thingy, and I mis-quoted the book anyway (it's "The Third Chimpanzee", not the "Third Monkey" ). It IS a worthwhile read if you have the time. Anyway, it doesn't have much to do with your argument with Schraf as to whether pair bonding is normative behavior in our species.I agree sociobiology is a bit iffy - IMO primarily because of the over-wrought claims of some of its early proponents. Of course, I don't agree with EO Wilson on his biogeography theory, either. OTOH, behavioral ecology IS about as rigorous as a new field can get, but has yet to develop any very strong conclusions that aren't being argued about. That would be the field I would look to if you're serious about a resolution of your discussion with Rei and the Schrafinator.