Tag: Altruism

Events:

November 14th at 6:30pm ET

From Biology to Culture: The Evolution of Goodness - A Conversation with David Sloan Wilson

Wisconsin Public Radio's Steve Paulson engages with leading thinker and President of ProSocial World, evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson

Articles:

February 12, 2025

The New Age of Eugenics and Darwin’s Warning Against It

When societies embrace eugenic thinking, they betray the moral progress that Darwin believed in.

November 2, 2023

In the Eye of the Beholder: Parochial Altruism, Radicalization, and Extremism

Radicalization is an inherently relational concept. One can only be radical in relation to someone who is not. Similarly, one cannot be extreme without an accepted center norm. But the center is not a fixed state. It shifts and changes across time, place, circumstance, and culture.

February 18, 2012

Back to Basics with Social Theory

Our economy is built on competition – but, really, we are collaborators.

March 5, 2012

When Richard Dawkins Is Not An Evolutionist

"Dawkins is not an evolutionist in part because no one is keeping him within bounds. One objective of <em>This View of Life</em> is to set a new standard for science journalism......"Dawkins is not an evolutionist in part because no one is keeping him within bounds. One objective of <em>This View oF Life</em> is to set a new standard for science journalism that brings it closer to the standard of the scientific peer review process.

March 24, 2012

Why Is Everyone Still So Muddled About Selfish Genes?

The Selfish Gene, Selfishness, and Multi-Level Selection: Why a 36-year Old Concept Remains So Misunderstood

June 6, 2012

The Science of War, and the War Over Human Nature

Are we stuck with war? ETVOL reviews select contributions to the Science special issue on Human Conflict.Warfare and human nature seem inextricably linked. But what do we mean by “human nature,” and what evidence would we require as proof that warfare is an indelible feature of the human condition?

June 30, 2012

Debate on Altruism, Human Social Evolution, and Natural Selection

In the spirit of Evolution: This View of Life's mantra "science as a process of constructive disagreement" we will highlight the debate and welcome all the arguments.

July 10, 2012

The Good Fight

Prominent scientists are in a bitter struggle over the origins of kindness. But the root of this conflict may be the most ironic part of all.

August 1, 2012

Being Kind Makes Kids Happy

A new study is the first to show that kids get a happiness boost from sacrificing for others, suggesting our strong inclinations for altruism.

August 20, 2012

The Saturday Interview: Harvard Biologist Edward Wilson

Was Dawkins right? Is Wilson a once-great researcher who has taken a wrong turn?

October 8, 2012

Is Human Nature Fundamentally Selfish or Altruistic?

Did selfishness — or sharing — drive human evolution?

February 2, 2013

Can Plants Be Altruistic?

Now, a study led by the University of Colorado Boulder suggests some plants are altruistic too.

February 6, 2013

From Dark Hearts Comes The Kindness of Mankind

The kind­ness of mankind most likely devel­oped from our more sin­is­ter and self-serving ten­den­cies.