Dr. Paul Turke

And I'd really love to see more evolutionary biology undergraduates decide to go to medical school. That would be a real boon to the discipline.

Yeah, if it's badly applied. I mean, there's this whole – it's been a ways back now of social Darwinism and so on where – so people can misunderstand and think that it's all about –

Yeah, if it's badly applied. I mean, there's this whole – it's been a ways back now of social Darwinism and so on where – so people can misunderstand and think that it's all about –

Yeah, if it's badly applied. I mean, there's this whole – it's been a ways back now of social Darwinism and so on where – so people can misunderstand and think that it's all about –

calling the weak and sick from the population and doing things like... I did an interview years ago for one of the science magazines where the interviewer, a real nice woman, wanted me to make clear that as a Darwinian pediatrician, I was in favor of taking care of the weak and the sick also.

calling the weak and sick from the population and doing things like... I did an interview years ago for one of the science magazines where the interviewer, a real nice woman, wanted me to make clear that as a Darwinian pediatrician, I was in favor of taking care of the weak and the sick also.

calling the weak and sick from the population and doing things like... I did an interview years ago for one of the science magazines where the interviewer, a real nice woman, wanted me to make clear that as a Darwinian pediatrician, I was in favor of taking care of the weak and the sick also.

You know, because she thought Darwinism implied that, you know, some people might think that that's not the case. So, I mean, I think done poorly, social Darwinism can creep in. Evolutionary biologists, if you hang around in those circles, you'll often hear them say evolution is – or the theory is descriptive, not prescriptive. And it is. It's up to you.

You know, because she thought Darwinism implied that, you know, some people might think that that's not the case. So, I mean, I think done poorly, social Darwinism can creep in. Evolutionary biologists, if you hang around in those circles, you'll often hear them say evolution is – or the theory is descriptive, not prescriptive. And it is. It's up to you.

You know, because she thought Darwinism implied that, you know, some people might think that that's not the case. So, I mean, I think done poorly, social Darwinism can creep in. Evolutionary biologists, if you hang around in those circles, you'll often hear them say evolution is – or the theory is descriptive, not prescriptive. And it is. It's up to you.

But in a little sense, in evolutionary medicine, we – kind of violate that in the sense that we'll say things like, uh, we, you know, we, we might prescribe letting that fever go because fever is an involved adaptation that helps you to, uh, fight your illness.

But in a little sense, in evolutionary medicine, we – kind of violate that in the sense that we'll say things like, uh, we, you know, we, we might prescribe letting that fever go because fever is an involved adaptation that helps you to, uh, fight your illness.

But in a little sense, in evolutionary medicine, we – kind of violate that in the sense that we'll say things like, uh, we, you know, we, we might prescribe letting that fever go because fever is an involved adaptation that helps you to, uh, fight your illness.

So, so we're being, I mean, we're not forcing your, anybody's hand, but we're giving advice that says, uh, avoid the trans fats, uh, let the fever go, let the, you know, those kinds of things. So we're being a little bit prescriptive, I guess.

So, so we're being, I mean, we're not forcing your, anybody's hand, but we're giving advice that says, uh, avoid the trans fats, uh, let the fever go, let the, you know, those kinds of things. So we're being a little bit prescriptive, I guess.

So, so we're being, I mean, we're not forcing your, anybody's hand, but we're giving advice that says, uh, avoid the trans fats, uh, let the fever go, let the, you know, those kinds of things. So we're being a little bit prescriptive, I guess.

Right. Right. No, you're right. Yep. And without recognizing that some of them are defenses. If it's normatively bad, feeling sick with a fever is normatively bad. And so doctors exist to fix things and make you feel better. And so we tell you to take... You know, the old saying, not in pediatrics, but the old saying for adults was take two aspirin and call me in the morning, right?

Right. Right. No, you're right. Yep. And without recognizing that some of them are defenses. If it's normatively bad, feeling sick with a fever is normatively bad. And so doctors exist to fix things and make you feel better. And so we tell you to take... You know, the old saying, not in pediatrics, but the old saying for adults was take two aspirin and call me in the morning, right?

Right. Right. No, you're right. Yep. And without recognizing that some of them are defenses. If it's normatively bad, feeling sick with a fever is normatively bad. And so doctors exist to fix things and make you feel better. And so we tell you to take... You know, the old saying, not in pediatrics, but the old saying for adults was take two aspirin and call me in the morning, right?

And we don't give aspirin to kids, but the idea is the same. We often tell them, take your ibuprofen or your acetaminophen, you'll feel better. And there are roles for those things. It's not like you can never use them, but it's, yeah, like you said, fixing things often makes things worse.