Why do humans, uniquely among animals, cooperate in large
numbers to advance projects for the common good? Contrary to the
conventional wisdom in biology and economics, this generous and
civic-minded behavior is widespread and cannot be explained simply
by far-sighted self-interest or a desire to help close genealogical
kin.
In "A Cooperative Species," Samuel Bowles and Herbert
Gintis--pioneers in the new experimental and evolutionary science
of human behavior--show that the central issue is not why selfish
people act generously, but instead how genetic and cultural
evolution has produced a species in which substantial numbers make
sacrifices to uphold ethical norms and to help even total
strangers.
The authors describe how, for thousands of generations,
cooperation with fellow group members has been essential to
survival. Groups that created institutions to protect the
civic-minded from exploitation by the selfish flourished and
prevailed in conflicts with less cooperative groups. Key to this
process was the evolution of social emotions such as shame and
guilt, and our capacity to internalize social norms so that acting
ethically became a personal goal rather than simply a prudent way
to avoid punishment.
Using experimental, archaeological, genetic, and ethnographic
data to calibrate models of the coevolution of genes and culture as
well as prehistoric warfare and other forms of group competition,
"A Cooperative Species" provides a compelling and novel account of
how humans came to be moral and cooperative.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!