Abstract

Wakefield requires all disorders to arise from the harmful failure of a naturally selected mechanism, but as exaptive traits do not appear to be the direct result of natural selection describing their failure as disorder is problematic. We will look at issues surrounding both biological exaptations and cultural exaptation, however, in dealing with cultural exaptation by explaining that the ‘harmful’ trait need not be identical to the failing mechanism upon which it is based, this creates further difficulties with his analysis. We will be primarily be looking at the correspondence between Wakefield and Lilienfeld & Marino in relation to these questions.