Although Burt clearly explains how modern genomic techniques work, and describes their limitations, her conclusion that they are therefore not valuable additions to understanding social outcomes is unwarranted. Understanding the causes of complex social outcomes depends on understanding how social, individual, and genetic factors complexly interact with each other. None can be understood without reference to the others.

We argue that the CLASH model makes a number of questionable assumptions about the harshness and unpredictability of low-latitude environments, calling into question the life history strategy approach used, and that it is inconsistent with more nuanced global patterns of violence. We suggest an alternative account for less violence at high latitudes, based on a greater need for cooperation.

We adopt Tinbergen's (1963) “four questions” approach to strengthen the criticism by Maestripieri et al. of the non-evolutionary accounts of favouritism toward attractive individuals, by showing which levels of explanation are lacking in these accounts. We also use this approach to propose ways in which the evolutionary account may be extended and strengthened.

Pore characteristics including pore size distribution, porosity, and poreinterconnectivity of PECVD SiCOH inter- layer dielectric (ILD) materialswith different dielectric constant (κ) values have been studied. Oxygenplasma damage to SiCOH low-κ films increases dramatically as the κ valuedecreases. Simulations showed that, compared to the ILD film, the overheaddielectric films have a significant impact on the overall effective κ (κeff) of the BEOL interconnects. Reducing the κ values ofthese overhead films helps to alleviate the pressure on the κ valuerequirement of the ILD materials while still meeting the κeff target. Ultralow-κ (ULK) PECVD hydrogenated silicon carbide (H:SiC) films with a κ of 3.0have been studied for the etch-stop applications. Studies of the chemicalcomposition and bonding structure suggest that less Si-C networκs are formedand more micro-porosity are incorporated in the ULK H:SiC film. The leakagecurrent of the ULK H:SiC film is found to be about 5 times lower than theH:S iC and H:SiCN films with higher κ values. The etch rate of ULK H:SiCfilm using a standard SiCOH ILD etch chemistry has been found to benegligible. Such an extremely high etch selectivity maκes these films verygood etch-stop layers.

The parallel drawn by Norman between the dorsal and ventral systems and direct and indirect approaches is based on two misrepresentations of the direct approach – that it is concerned only with the unconscious control of action, and that it cannot explain learning. We propose a way of understanding the visual system differences from within the direct approach.