Is self-deception an effective non-cooperative strategy?

Robert Trivers has proposed perhaps the only serious adaptationist account of self-deception—that the primary function of self-deception is to better deceive others. But this account covers only a subset of cases and needs further refinement. A better evolutionary account of self-deception and cognitive biases more generally will more rigorously recognize the various ways in which false beliefs affect both the self and others. This article offers formulas for determining the optimal doxastic orientation, giving special consideration to conflicted self-deception as an alternative to outright self-delusion. A novel taxonomy of self-deception, as it relates to the beliefs held by others, is also presented. While Trivers makes a plausible case for the adaptive value of certain cognitive biases, a more fragmented and nuanced account of the social forces impacting the evolution of self-deception is needed.     

Chloroplast RNA: possible site of an early lesion in iron deficiency

Euglena gracilis was grown under controlled levels of iron suchthat chlorophyll synthesis was halted, although the cells continuedto grow at a normal rate. Chloroplasts isolated by zonal centrifugationfrom iron-deficient cells, even at a very early stage of deficiency,contained less than half the normal levels of RNA and ribosomes.Total RNA was unaffected. We note that a defect in chloroplastribosomes could account for the signs of iron deficiency chlorosis. ¹Present address: Forschungsstelle Vennesland der Max PlanckGesellschaft, Harnackstr. 23, Berlin 33, Dahlem, Germany. (Received April 16, 1974; )