Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Secret purpose of the female orgasm
A philosopher and professor of biology at Indiana University argues in a new book that the female orgasm has no evolutionary function. In her book "The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution," Elizabeth A. Lloyd analyzed how often women climax during intercourse without clitoral stimulation. Since so few women do, she argues, it's unlikely that female orgasm is linked to fertility or reproduction and therefore can't be an evolutionary adaptation. From the New York Times:
In boys, the penis develops, along with the potential to have orgasms and ejaculate, while "females get the nerve pathways for orgasm by initially having the same body plan."Link
Nipples in men are similarly vestigial, Dr. Lloyd pointed out.
While nipples in woman serve a purpose, male nipples appear to be simply left over from the initial stage of embryonic development.
The female orgasm, she said, "is for fun."
posted by David Pescovitz at 02:15:25 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments
