Group Selection: A Review Essay on Does Altruism Exist? by David Sloan Wilson
نویسنده
چکیده
David Sloan Wilson (2015) argues forcefully that altruism exists in humans and that the biological mechanism of “group selection” is responsible. Indeed, Wilson argues that altruism and group selection are pervasive and important across non-human species too, contrary to the orthodox view in biology. This review focusses on the implications of Wilson’s argument for humans and for economics, in particular. Full appreciation of the human situation can only be obtained, however, by also considering other species, to provide reinforcement or contrast. At stake here is the most fruitful view of the basic nature of human beings. As an economist, one is trained to be skeptical of the need to suppose that individuals are motivated by the common good. Economic theory has done well in explaining a wide range of phenomena on the basis of selfish preferences, and the related orthodox view within biology of the individual as the unit of selection is accordingly highly congenial to economists. There are aspects of human economic behavior that are tempting to explain by group selection. For example, human beings are often willing to trade with strangers they will likely never see again, as might be modelled as cooperation in the one-shot prisoner’s dilemma. However, to make the case that a radical revamping of the discipline is necessary requires a comprehensive cataloging and evaluation of the empirical phenomena that contradict the current approach. What exactly is this evidence? Do the most obvious and significant failures of orthodox economics arise from neglecting altruism? Is there no way of accommodating the anomalies within the current orthodox theory? Would a more modest extension of orthodox economics than that implied by group selection be suffi cient? ∗Simon Fraser University
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Book Review: Does Altruism Exist?: Culture, Genes, and the Welfare of Others
Does Altruism Exists? This is an ongoing debate among scientists and philosophers. One of the strongest argument is that every altruistic deed has a selfish motive. " Scratch an altruist and watch a hypocrite bleed, " wrote Michael Ghiselin. David Sloan Wilson, Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University seeks an answer this cardinal question. Wilson does not want to introduc...
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