What will you do then?

When forums such as these become inundated with people who are, or have been emotionally distraught, and use evolutionary psychology to understand their innermost being.For many reasons I think such a scenario is likely to happen. I think there is increased professionalization in society, such that people more and more rely on "scientific" psychology rather then on common humanity, to understand and deal with their problems. I read on CNN that about 25 percent of US teenagers have been suicidal over the past year, which I only mention to illustrate the fragility of people in general. It's not the case that this fragility is limited to a small group of people I think. Evolutionary psychology has received some skeptical reception, but I think that skepticism will diminish, because I think now many pscyhologists and biologists especially become psychologists and biologists just because of evolutionary psychology. I also think that these evolutionary psychologists and associate biologists will be much more vocal/enthusiastic then the other psychologists and biologists, since it is much a religious belief. The skepticism will then be sounded out.Also, evolutionary psychology should have a positive effect on the patient in the short run, which would make it look attractive. Partly because of the enthusiasm of it's promoters, but mainly because I think that the use of evolutionary psychology will have a "drug effect" similar to that of some practices in Scientology. I believe, it has a stimulating "drug effect" to rationalize all emotions in terms of one word or principle, which in Scientology is the word "survival" and in evolutionary psychology might be something similar.So in short I think evolutionary psychology is likely to become popular. So what will evolutionists and creationists do, in the event that it is popular.regards,
Mohammad Nor Syamsu

Syamsu, Evolutionary Psychology is not, as you seem to be implying, a form of clinical Psychology.It is a field of research psychology, like developmental or cognitive psychology.Psychology is a large field; not everyone becomes a counselor.Clinical psychologists have to have MD degrees as well as PhDs in Psychology.

I don't really know what you are saying here, but you seem to be implying that evolutionary psychology (or really neo-darwinist psychology) is not for personal use of the patient. Can't be used personally, shouldn't be used personally, isn't used personally. I think only the second statement is right, from what I read on the internet.regards,
Mohammad Nor Syamsu

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I don't really know what you are saying here, but you seem to be implying that evolutionary psychology (or really neo-darwinist psychology) is not for personal use of the patient.

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Evolutionary Psychology is NOT a clinical field. They do not work with patients at all. Not even a little bit. They are not cousellors or medical doctors. They do not try to help people with their emotional problems on a one-on-one basis.They do research in labs on how the mind works.The following is a link to a very informative website which will explain what Evolutionary Psychology is. If you can find anything on that site which says anything about using clinical work I would be very surprised:http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/research/cep/primer.html

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Can't be used personally, shouldn't be used personally, isn't used personally. I think only the second statement is right, from what I read on the internet.

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Actually, the statement "isn't used personally" is accurate.[This message has been edited by schrafinator, 03-07-2003]

Thank you Schrafinator for the link to the essay on evolutionary psychology. I just bought a copy of Ken Wilbur's A THEORY OF EVERYTHING, and being neither familiar with Ken Wilbur nor evolutionary psychology realized I needed some sort of primer from the actual field of study. Having only read the introduction to THEORY, it appears to be a digression upon or a popularization of the actual field of evolutionary psychology?