Design evidence # 231: taste buds

Wouldn't natural selection favour the emergence of
tastebuds?After all any creature who gains pleasure out of eating will
be more motivated to eat than one who doesn't ... and
if you can't be bothered to eat you'll have less energy for
reproduction and evading predators.

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Coragyps say::
So this implies that I should go engage in hot jungle sex with Sandra Bullock and Winona Ryder simultaneously? That would be a wonderful function, and likely would bring me great delight.Somehow, though, Sonnike, I don't think you (or my wife) would approve.

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Especially if your wife isn't a dark-eyed brunette

Like brussel sprouts you mean ? [This message has been edited by Peter, 01-30-2003]

I remember doing a taste test in biology class ...
I couldn't taste it at all ... which from other people's
reactions was a good thing.Taste in general, though, is psychological surely?One can accustom oneself to unusuals tastes ... I remember
shuddering down a mouthful of my dad's beer as a child,
but drink it now and savour the taste ... not entirely a
changing of growing up thing there, and there are several
food items that I hated a few years ago, but quite like
now.

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Taste in general, though, is psychological surely?

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Meaning what? That our brains process chemical signals associated with the stuff we eat? And that our brains further associate those chemical signals with stuff we have eaten in the past that did or did not make us sick, throwing in the cultural components to make those associations streatch back many generations?

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Our taste-buds and olifactory sensors send signals back to the
brain for processing.The brain then makes associations based upon past exposure,
cultural acceptance etc. and sends a message representing
a degree of acceptance.Have you ever seen programs (they used to do them in the UK)
where they take unusual food out on to the street, and say
'Here try this.' People chow down, making 'that's not bad'
noises then the presenter says 'hey, that's a sheep's eyeball'
or 'bull's testicle' and the people go 'Yuk!!!' and spit out
the stuff with a look of revultion. It's a rare person who just
goes on munching and saying 'Hmmm ... tastes good anyhow.'Taste is largely psychological.

That's what I was getting at really .... it's not a function
of the taste or texture etc. that ultimately determines
whether or not one likes what one is tasting ... it's psychological
and a large part of that is social conditioning and cultural
influence.Added as an afetrthought::A traditional English dish is tripe and onions .... with
tripe being cow's intestines, and the scottish love their
sheep stomaches stuffed with spicy stuff (hagis) [This message has been edited by Peter, 02-13-2003]

I think the way I view it is that the taste-buds simply report
'flavour characteristics' (taste buds can only do salt, sweet,
and sour ... or somesuch ... anyhow, a lot of what we call taste
includes smell) ... it's the brain that interprets and says
yes or no, surely.

There's no positive evidence for it.

Strange attitude for one who chooses to participate in
this debate ... but the smiley did mean I wasn't
serious.Also ... is there a way to delete reply waiting's without
just responding for the sake of it

I guess that didn't include me as an extra person ...
but this way I get rid of the 'yes' in the meantime

DOH!!