The problem with material reductionist jargon, a problem rooted within the principles of the philosophy itself, is that it comes across as extremely tone deaf.
Here is a transhumanist, Singularity-worshiping, self-described materialist rationalist trying to make a case for a reductionist story of how human love and friendship came about. Mind you, this guy is supposed to be one of the less mindless ones, and not the fools you'll see boasting of their cool atheism in usenet groups.
Now, try to read what he wrote and tell me if anything he says about the nature of love and friendship strike you as human in any way.
Reducing human friendships to "iterated prisoner's dilemmas" and love to "adaptation-reflex" is a sure way to convince the world that you're a robot talking about human beings you've never even encountered.
The problem is surely at the heart of the materialist project. But at least, you'd think they'd come up with better jargon.
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