--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is an increasing (and disturbing)…" description: "\"“There is an increasing (and disturbing) tendency of psychologists, biologists, and philosophers to Darwinize every aspect of human behavior, turning i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/jerry-a-coyne-13913_education_there-is-an-increasing-and-disturbing-te_464191.jpg" --- # There is an increasing (and disturbing) tendency of… ![“There is an increasing (and disturbing) tendency of psychologists, biologists, and philosophers to Darwinize every aspect of human behavior, turning its study into a scientific parlor game. But imaginative reconstructions of how things might have evolved are not science; they are stories. Stephen…” quote by Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/jerry-a-coyne-13913_education_there-is-an-increasing-and-disturbing-te_464191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/jerry-a-coyne-13913_education_there-is-an-increasing-and-disturbing-te_464191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/jerry-a-coyne-13913_education_there-is-an-increasing-and-disturbing-te_464191.jpg) > ““There is an increasing (and disturbing) tendency of psychologists, biologists, and philosophers to Darwinize every aspect of human behavior, turning its study into a scientific parlor game. But imaginative reconstructions of how things might have evolved are not science; they are stories. Stephen Jay Gould satirized them as ‘Just-So Stories,’ after Kipling’s eponymous book that gave delightful but fanciful explanations for various traits of animals (‘How the Leopard Got His Spots,’ and so on).”” [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Over‑application of evolutionary explanations turns complex behavior into simplistic stories, not rigorous science. **In simple terms:** Darwinizing everything creates untested narratives. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate evolutionary claims. Themes science skepticism methodology Mood critical analytical Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - public policy - media analysis Key Concepts reductionism just-so stories scientific rigor Questions to Reflect On - What evidence distinguishes a hypothesis from a just‑so story? - How to balance narrative appeal with scientific rigor? A Different Perspective Stories can mislead if not empirically grounded. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Human behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-behavior/) [Jay gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jay-gould/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [“For Dawkins, atheism is a necessary consequence of evolution. He has argued that the religious impulse is simply an evolutionary mistake, a ‘misfiring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/for-dawkins-atheism-is-a-necessary-consequence-of-evolution-he-has/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake. 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