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Stenka25 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
What does the underlined part mean?
What does the underlined part mean?
The passage below is from ‘the Blank Slate’ by Steven Pinker.
http://evolbiol.ru/blankslate/blankslate.htm
Of course, only Procrustes could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff. The second motive for conformity is normative, the desire to follow the norms of a community, whatever they are. But this, too, is not as stupidly lemminglike as it first appears. Many cultural practices are arbitrary in their specific form but not in their reason for being.
I cannot figure what the underlined part means.
I know Procrustes is a mythical figure who used to cut out his victims’ limbs to fit into his bed only to be killed in a corresponding way by Theseus.
But in this context, however hard I may try, how HE could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff, I cannot work out.
Hope for your replies.
Regards.
The passage below is from ‘the Blank Slate’ by Steven Pinker.
http://evolbiol.ru/blankslate/blankslate.htm
Of course, only Procrustes could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff. The second motive for conformity is normative, the desire to follow the norms of a community, whatever they are. But this, too, is not as stupidly lemminglike as it first appears. Many cultural practices are arbitrary in their specific form but not in their reason for being.
I cannot figure what the underlined part means.
I know Procrustes is a mythical figure who used to cut out his victims’ limbs to fit into his bed only to be killed in a corresponding way by Theseus.
But in this context, however hard I may try, how HE could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff, I cannot work out.
Hope for your replies.
Regards.
Top answer
Stenka25 how HE could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff, I cannot work out. Well, it doesn't mean that he, the mythical figure, literally argued this. The author is merely imagining that this argument would have fitted his supposed way of thinking.
- Stenka25 how HE could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff, I cannot work out.
- Well, it doesn't mean that he, the mythical figure, literally argued this.
- The author is merely imagining that this argument would have fitted his supposed way of thinking.
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5 Answers
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Stenka25how HE could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff, I cannot work out.Well, it doesn't mean that he, the mythical figure, literally argued this. The author is merely imagining that this argument would have fitted his supposed way of thinking.
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Stenka25only Procrustes could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff.When something is said to be Procrustean, its different lengths, sizes or properties are fitted to an arbitrary standard.
He means that any "cultural practice" that does not have such a payoff, could be manipulated - exaggerated or diminished -
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Stenka25only Procrustes could argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff.To argue that all cultural practices have a direct economic or genetic payoff would require you to distort the facts.
CJ
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