The Technology of Sex

In my about page I mentioned that sex was a kind of technology. 

In one sense, sex is a technology because it is a tool that evolved as a means of biological reproduction. Before sexual reproduction there was asexual reproduction. From the viewpoint of the selfish gene it doesn't make sense why gametes would fuse themselves with another, because of the issue of dilution. The benefit of sexual reproduction far outweighs the downside of not copying itself perfectly though, which is why sexuality is far more common than asexuality despite the reflex for a gene to want to replicate itself perfectly.

This is a simple observation about the technology of sex, but it should be obvious that this is not the only thing sex is used for. There are cerebral elements that are much more relevant to our everyday engagement considering most don't try and conceive every time the have intercourse. In this light I think it's fair to think about sex as a kind of psychotechnology, which is something I'll talk about it another post.