Bob Trivers and Noam Chomsky discuss deceit

[ToddStark]

In the 1970s, a Harvard class taught by evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers ignited a controversy that would escalate into the "sociobiology wars." His papers provided a Darwinian basis for understanding complex human activities and relationships. Across town at MIT, revolutionary linguist Noam Chomsky had earned a reputation as a leading opponent of the Vietnam War. Throughout those pivotal years, and in the following decades, the two explored similar ideas from different perspectives. Long aware of each other's work, they had never met until a couple of months ago, when they sat down to compare notes on some common interests: deceit and self-deception.

Source: Semptember 2006 issue of "Seed":

Link to Seed article online (http://www.seedmagazine.com/news/2006/09/noam_chomsky_robert_trivers.php)

[James Brody]

Todd,

This is one of my many gaps.

Trivers waves "self-deception" but I'm not sure the idea pulls its own weight. And complication: Karl Grammer referred to "self-deception" when he introduced his work on deception and his search for ways to lie that cannot be faked.

Thanks,

Jim