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by pdr2020 2141 days ago
Well that's completely wrong.

Attractiveness is a trait that signals health, not intelligence/social skill/etc.

That's why we evolved to desire attractive people.

It has nothing to do with being a marker for intelligence.

2 comments

Health is strongly correlated with intelligence.
Anything we evolve to desire signals genetic fitness.

Genetic fitness means anything that results in more grandchildren in the end. Physical health is a big factor, sure, but so is intelligence and social skills.

Maybe this is in part a linguistic disagreement. By "attractive" I don't just mean "looks good in a photo", but any factor that attracts a partner.