Is music a supernormal stimulus?

Fragment of an interview of Richard Dawkins with Steven Pinker for "The Genius of Charles Darwin" (UK Channel 4 Television, 2008).

Pinker explains again why music is not an adaptation but should be seen as a kind of 'supernormal stimulus' - adding the phrase "people in music hate this theory...".

[non-flash version: .mp4,.3gp]

For a full one hour of uncut footage see here.

Honing, H. (2011). Muziek is geen luxe... maar wat dan wel? Academische Boekengids, 88, 2-4.

Honing, H. (2012). If music isn’t a luxury, what is it? Journal of Music, Technology and Education, 5 (1), 114-117 DOI: 10.1386/jmte.5.1.109_5.