I'm not sure if I buy Prum's idea - doesn't this just come down to 'hard-to-fake' signals?
I thought it was pretty well established already that there were both physical & behavioral 'adornments' that had no pragmatic use but signaled that the advertiser is so well-endowed they have energy to spare. And as far as beauty goes symmetry is hard to manufacture so also signals genetic fitness.
Lastly, don't mutations sometimes come along for the ride even if their benefit is negligible or even detrimental, as long as they don't tip the balance & prevent the genes being passed along?
I thought it was pretty well established already that there were both physical & behavioral 'adornments' that had no pragmatic use but signaled that the advertiser is so well-endowed they have energy to spare. And as far as beauty goes symmetry is hard to manufacture so also signals genetic fitness.
Lastly, don't mutations sometimes come along for the ride even if their benefit is negligible or even detrimental, as long as they don't tip the balance & prevent the genes being passed along?