Shad
Veteran Member
The notion that sex has a purpose, such as reproduction, seems to me a curious artifact of pre-scientific, teleological thinking.
Sex has a biological function which is used to accomplish a purpose which is reproduction.
Evolution teaches us that things evolved functions, rather than evolved to serve purposes. Thus, nothing prevents something from evolving multiple functions.
Not in this case as the purpose, reproduction, is containing within a specific function of a body with no natural alternative in many species.
Eyes for instance. They obviously function to detect light. But in some primates, including us, they are also involved in communication and mate attraction.
Poor comparison as as sight is merely one sensory function out of many which sex is not.
It seems quite obvious to me that sex has multiple functions in our species. Including reproduction -- but it is also involved in emotionally bonding individuals to each other, and in psychological, emotional, and physical health, among other things.
This is product of a large and more complex brain than sex itself.
I do not find the notion that sex serves a purpose, and only a single purpose at that, to be compelling.
There are no alternative to reproduction. You are conflating utility with purpose.