From: "Phil Roberts, Jr." 
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 1996 00:31:26 -0400

The following was in response to my recent posting announcing a web site 
in which I purport to account for feelings of worthlessness within the 
context of an evolutionary scenario while at the same time having at 
the cognitive science paradigm.

Oliver Sparrow wrote:
> 
> The evidence is that there is no 'publication barrier', just a set of
> ever-higher barriers that one has to jump in order to publish in,
> say, Science. This would matter if science (small s) consisted of a
> set of logical set pieces, a sort of chess game made up of publications.
> What is observed to happen is, however, that ideas grow, expand,
> slither across disciplines; and take their reinforcement from a myriad of
> half truths, personal opinions, peer group consensus and falsification.
> Its a social algorithm, run on a mass of parallel processors with serious
> race track problems. But it works.
> 

I'm not sure exactly what you are saying, but if its that good ideas have 
a way of reaching critical mass and surviving even in oppressive environments, 
I suppose I would have to agree. However, as a non-academic leper, I have 
to tell you that its been a mighty long time between watering holes,
all though not all that surprising when you consider that this particular 
academic community is unigue in that psychologists are "perenially insecure 
about their status as scientists" (Leahey).

> In other words, I suspect that the original poster's proposal, to consider
> emotional states and evolution, is an interesting one. I personally would
> be concrned by the 'how' word, but if he can do it, he should. If it's useful,
> it will spread; like pimples in a gymnasium.
> 
> _________________________________________________
> 
>   Oliver Sparrow
>   ohgs@chatham.demon.co.uk

Great stuff, Olly.  Now have Stan do one.

You know there's a simply answer to your 'how' question.  It can be found 
at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5476  Or if you don't have web access,
just drop me an email and I'll be happy to fax a copy, or even send you 
a hard copy if you want... free... You can't beat that, now can you.