Evolutionary biologist Gillian Ragsdale on the myth of the "maternal instinct," and the extent to which the desire to birth a biological child is a social and cultural phenomenon. In the episode we discuss:

-Why no mammal has a primal instinct that links sex to a desire to reproduce 

-Why we talk about a “maternal” instinct and not a “paternal” instinct 

-The real purpose of the sex drive in human beings

-Why individual differences and preferences are overlooked in conversations about procreative potential 

-The different factors that might make a person more susceptible to “baby fever”

-Why it is so challenging to implement more shared responsibility for childrearing between men and women

-An evolutionary perspective on the global population slowdown 

-Why modern societal structures and family formation are antithetical to proper caregiving 

-How “pair bonding” came to take precedence among humans and the impact of this on community and family life 

-What it means to “widen the moral circle” when it comes to who we care for and about – both individually and as a society 

-Why biological evolution doesn’t care about “quality of life” - but how lifestyle stressors do impact human fertility 

You can learn more about Gillian Ragsdale and her work HERE.

You can pre-order your copy of Women Without Kids: The Revolutionary Rise of an Unsung Sisterhood HERE—where you can input your order details to receive a FREE book club guide to accompany the book.