Is Female Orgasm an Evolutionary Error?

11.03.2011 | By: J. P.

Female orgasm is, according to some scientists, just a felicitous by-product of Mother Nature.

Biological function of the female orgasm has been causing confusion among the evolutionary scientists. (PhotoXpress)

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Symons and Lloyd's theory of female orgasm

In the year 1979 Donald Symons, a renounced anthropologist, published his work The Evolution Of Human Sexuality where he explained the evolutionary development of our physiological and psychological characteristics. He focused chiefly on sexuality, but his claim that the female orgasm is just a lucky coincidence of Nature, a phenomenon without any biological function, was the one that upset the scientific and general public the most. Dr. Elisabeth A. Lloyd, Professor of Biology at Indiana University, agrees with Symons' theory in her book The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution.

Adaptations, by-products and deviations

Symons claimed that all the physical and psychological characteristics, which evolved in the evolutionary process, can be divided into three categories: adaptations, by-products and deviations. All the characteristics, which contribute to economy, efficacy, complexity, precision, reliability and functionality when dealing with various problems belong to the category of adaptation. Some of our characteristics are not adaptations, but just an accidental by-product or random deviations. For example – picture a light bulb, made to produce light, but it also produces heat, its surface is not always completely smooth, as glass differs from one light bulb to another. All the complexity of human characteristics can therefore fall under one of the three categories.

Function of female orgasm

His undoubtedly most controversial claim was that no evidence exist, which would confirm that the female capability of having an orgasm is an adaptation, aimed at preservation of the human species, so it is probably just an accidental by-product. Just like men have unusable nipples, a by-product of joint conception of sexes and simultaneous development of fetus in the first eight weeks, the female orgasm is only a by-product which enables the male orgasm, ejaculation and therefore reproduction. Men develop penis, and female clitoral nerves enable her an orgasm without any biological function. The fact that women do not reach climax every time they have sexual intercourse, some cannot even have an orgasm and the fact that female orgasm is only characteristic for human species all speak in favor of Symons theory.

Some disagree

Such views about the female orgasm are fiercely opposed by Dr. John Alcock, Professor of Biology at Arizona State university, who claims that female orgasm developed with certain intent. According to him, the female orgasm eases the transport of sperm and enables women to recognize strong, healthy and suitable men for reproduction, thus enabling the survival of the offspring. So he believes that the fact that women cannot reach an orgasm every time they have intercourse, cannot serve as sufficient proof that female orgasm is not an evolutionary adaptation. The experts have just recently found out that the female monkey, of the Macaques rhesus species, can achieve climax very similar to the human one. Maybe the real reason is hidden in the physical and psychological pleasure, which accompanies the female orgasm, making them more prepared for sexual activities. More sexual activity – more children.