James Turner

Dr of Philosophy. New article out now in Philosophy of Science:

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

Does low mood have representational content? If so, what does it represent? Find out in my new paper, recently accepted in Philosophy of Science. https://t.co/mPwAjG9BJ6

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

https://t.co/7CaDX5RIda

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

New article with Fabian Hundertmark, "Moving Past Ahistorical Theories of Function and Malfunctioning”, out now in Biology & Philosophy

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

My article on the representational content of low mood is now out in Philosophy of Science
https://t.co/no4HyRYifl

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@RealAdamHunt I think the main point of similarity though is that it's a very general framework that encompasses some more specific theories (e.g., social risk theory, disease avoidance/recovery theories). Low mood is a hammer--"Stop, disengage, conserve everything"--not a scalpel

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@RealAdamHunt No worries! And yes, there are some subtle differences. At least as I spell it out, it's about reducing resource expenditure. In some cases that would involve signalling help (but probably not all cases). In all cases though, "stop doing things" is roughly the imperative.

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@RealAdamHunt I should add that the idea was originally formulated in Nesse's 2000 paper, and later in his 2019 book. And, as you mention, Dan Nettle also has a similar idea. There are subtle differences between our formulations, but the general idea is very similar.

Cool episode as always!

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@RealAdamHunt I would say there's at least one recent paper in the literature that defends (something like) this idea. Mine! I frame it as reducing resource expenditure via (in part) disengagement, and I briefly discuss the idea that it subsumes other theories.

https://t.co/l5PCWuN2Oe

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

Had a really interesting conversation with @RealAdamHunt on his Evolving Psychiatry Podcast about low mood and depression.

https://t.co/c9uRVqcT4j

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

Come see me debate whether depression is/isn't a functional signal (and more!)

[Adam Hunt @RealAdamHunt]

Last chance to sign up join us this August 31st in Cambridge for lively debate on evolutionary psychiatry! Debates on depression, research, practise. Panels interspersed with pizza and coffee. Sure to be fascinating! https://t.co/SlceUFK0Ku

[Adam Hunt @RealAdamHunt]

This summer, August 31st, we are hosting an evolutionary psychiatry debate in Cambridge. Experts discussing whether depression is functional and whether evolutionary perspectives are more important in research or the clinic. Audience participation possible. Join us! https://t.co/CYlIILOA3h

[Riadh Abed @RiadhAbed1]

The next Evolutionary Psychiatry webinar in the WPA series will be on Thu 30 Jan at 6pm Speaker: Leif Kennair renowned evolutionary psychologist. His title: Is sustained negative processing adaptive?
Register free: https://t.co/sOsJ7LRv4v @RealAdamHunt @Derektracy1 @JTAuthor

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@Psychistential Or are they just following what medical experts tell them? 2/2

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@Psychistential A recent BMJ article concludes "Exercise is an effective treatment for depression". And their eligibility criteria are "Any randomised trial... for participants meeting clinical cut-offs for major depression". So are people conflating two clinically different things? 1/2

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@JakubZN @eclecticherbal @SameiHuda @dawso007 I might be wrong about the facts regarding the history of bird wings here, but that's the in-principle story of what the SE theory would say in such cases

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@JakubZN @eclecticherbal @SameiHuda @dawso007 Again, not a bird expert, but I imagine they are vestigial traits, so have no flight function (but are not DYSfunctional). I.e. in recent evo history they did not enable flight, so there was no effect to select for (but this was nonetheless not detrimental to fitness)

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@eclecticherbal @SameiHuda @JakubZN @dawso007 Thanks!

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@eclecticherbal @SameiHuda @JakubZN @dawso007 I talk a bit about them being the same system in my Erkenntnis paper. In brief, massive overlap in neural underpinnings, same defining effects, same types of distal causes. Second question is difficult re low mood. Not sure what you mean by "override".

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@eclecticherbal @SameiHuda @JakubZN @dawso007 That sounds about right. This isn't MY SE theory, however, merely the one I believe. I take this to be the most well-defended version of SE in the current literature

[James Turner @JTAuthor]

@eclecticherbal @SameiHuda @JakubZN @dawso007 In theory, yes (though I don't know all the details about the evolution of feathers). Most modern SE theories are recent selection theories, so are happy to attribute exapted functions. It is possible, then, that feathers have the function of both flight and insulation.