October 24, 2003
The Nature of Human Altruism
Nature 425, 785 - 791 (23 October 2003); doi:10.1038/nature02043
The nature of human altruism
ERNST FEHR AND URS FISCHBACHER
Some of the most fundamental questions concerning our evolutionary origins, our social relations, and the organization of society are centred around issues of altruism and selfishness. Experimental evidence indicates that human altruism is a powerful force and is unique in the animal world. However, there is much individual heterogeneity and the interaction between altruists and selfish individuals is vital to human cooperation. Depending on the environment, a minority of altruists can force a majority of selfish individuals to cooperate or, conversely, a few egoists can induce a large number of altruists to defect. Current gene-based evolutionary theories cannot explain important patterns of human altruism, pointing towards the importance of both theories of cultural evolution as well as gene–culture co-evolution.
Posted by Dienekes at October 24, 2003 12:17 PM | PermaLinkI believe the nature of human altruism, should be discussed in a philosophical context, and in a social context, rather than in a gene related situation.
Survival plays a great role in the way people see their fellow men, and in our times, altruism would not be a top priority for the egoistic, moneymaking "humans"..
Posted by: Nikiforos Armatodromos at October 26, 2003 05:57 AMSurvival plays a great role in the way people see their fellow men, and in our times, altruism would not be a top priority for the egoistic, moneymaking "humans"..
Very true, but the question is this because there is no nurtured social Altruism or because this Altruism is today even in good invididuals suppressed or goes in a totally irrational direction.
Posted by: Chris at October 26, 2003 02:59 PMThe gene is not the only selfish replicator. If you recognize the meme as a valid replicator, then patterns of human altruism are far from a mystery.
Posted by: Phlegm at October 31, 2003 03:18 PM