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The Resource Does altruism exist? : culture, genes, and the welfare of others, David Sloan Wilson

Does altruism exist? : culture, genes, and the welfare of others, David Sloan Wilson

Creator
Summary
David Sloan Wilson, one of the world's leading evolutionists, addresses a question that has puzzled philosophers, psychologists, and evolutionary biologists for centuries: Does altruism exist naturally among the Earth's creatures? The key to understanding the existence of altruism, Wilson argues, is by understanding the role it plays in the social organization of groups. Groups that function like organisms indubitably exist, and organisms evolved from groups. Evolutionists largely agree on how functionally organized groups evolve, ending decades of controversy, but the resolution casts altruism in a new light: altruism exists but shouldn't necessarily occupy center stage in our understanding of social behavior. After laying a general theoretical foundation, Wilson surveys altruism and group-level functional organization in our own species<U+0127> �in religion, in economics, and in the rest of everyday life. He shows that altruism is not categorically good and can have pathological consequences. Finally, he shows how a social theory that goes beyond altruism by focusing on group function can help to improve the human condition in a practical sense.--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
x, 180 pages
Contents
  • Introduction : Altruism and evolution
  • Groups that work
  • How altrusim evolves
  • Equivalence
  • From nonhumans to humans
  • Psychological altruism
  • Altruism and religion
  • Altruism and economics
  • Altruism in everyday life
  • Pathological altrusim
  • Planetary altruism
Isbn
9780300189490
Instance
Label
Does altruism exist? : culture, genes, and the welfare of others
Title
Does altruism exist?
Title remainder
culture, genes, and the welfare of others
Statement of responsibility
David Sloan Wilson
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
David Sloan Wilson, one of the world's leading evolutionists, addresses a question that has puzzled philosophers, psychologists, and evolutionary biologists for centuries: Does altruism exist naturally among the Earth's creatures? The key to understanding the existence of altruism, Wilson argues, is by understanding the role it plays in the social organization of groups. Groups that function like organisms indubitably exist, and organisms evolved from groups. Evolutionists largely agree on how functionally organized groups evolve, ending decades of controversy, but the resolution casts altruism in a new light: altruism exists but shouldn't necessarily occupy center stage in our understanding of social behavior. After laying a general theoretical foundation, Wilson surveys altruism and group-level functional organization in our own species<U+0127> �in religion, in economics, and in the rest of everyday life. He shows that altruism is not categorically good and can have pathological consequences. Finally, he shows how a social theory that goes beyond altruism by focusing on group function can help to improve the human condition in a practical sense.--
Member of
Assigning source
Provided by Publisher
Cataloging source
YDXCP
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Wilson, David Sloan
Dewey number
576.8
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
Series statement
Foundational questions in science
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Altruism
  • Evolution (Biology)
  • Evolution (Biology)
  • Human evolution
  • Evolutionary psychology
  • Social evolution
  • Behavior evolution
Label
Does altruism exist? : culture, genes, and the welfare of others, David Sloan Wilson
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-171) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier.
Content category
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent.
  • rdacontent.
Contents
Introduction : Altruism and evolution -- Groups that work -- How altrusim evolves -- Equivalence -- From nonhumans to humans -- Psychological altruism -- Altruism and religion -- Altruism and economics -- Altruism in everyday life -- Pathological altrusim -- Planetary altruism
Control code
FIEb17649936
Dimensions
22 cm.
Extent
x, 180 pages
Isbn
9780300189490
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia.
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)1014381578
Label
Does altruism exist? : culture, genes, and the welfare of others, David Sloan Wilson
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-171) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier.
Content category
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent.
  • rdacontent.
Contents
Introduction : Altruism and evolution -- Groups that work -- How altrusim evolves -- Equivalence -- From nonhumans to humans -- Psychological altruism -- Altruism and religion -- Altruism and economics -- Altruism in everyday life -- Pathological altrusim -- Planetary altruism
Control code
FIEb17649936
Dimensions
22 cm.
Extent
x, 180 pages
Isbn
9780300189490
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia.
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)1014381578

Subject

Member of

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