The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation, Volume 3"If evolution by natural selection relentlessly favors self-interest, why do human beings live in complex societies and show so much cooperative spirit? In The Origins of Virtue, Matt Ridley, a zoologist and former American editor of the Economist, shows that recent research in a number of fields has suggested a resolution of the apparent contradiction between self-interest and mutual aid. Brilliantly orchestrating the new findings of geneticists, psychologists, and anthropologists, The Origins of Virtue re-examines the everyday assumptions upon which we base our actions towards others, whether we are nurturing parents, siblings, or trade partners." "The Origins of Virtue searches for the roots of that capacity for trust, contrasts it with the social instincts of ants, baboons, and naked mole rats, and draws provocative conclusions for our understanding of politics. Ridley not only traces the evolution of society but shows us how breakthroughs in computer programming, microbiology, and economics have all played their role in providing us with a unique perspective on how and why we relate to each other."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Contents
CHAPTER TWO The Division of Labour | 35 |
CHAPTER THREE The Prisoners Dilemma | 51 |
CHAPTER FOUR Telling Hawks from Doves | 67 |
Copyright | |
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The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation Matt Ridley Limited preview - 1998 |
Common terms and phrases
Adam altruism animals anthropologists ants argued Axelrod axes baboons bats bees behaviour benefit better Big Kiku biologists biology birds bonnet macaques cells cent chimpanzees chimps chromosomes coalitions colony common cooperation cultural defect division of labour dolphins ecological economics economist eggs emotions evolution evolved exchange exploit favour female fish food sharing forest game theory generosity genetic gift give group selection groupishness Hadza Hawkes Hobbes Hobbesian human society hunter-gatherers hunters hunting Hutterites idea individuals instinct interest invention killed Kropotkin live Luit male mammoth meat monkeys moral motivated naked mole rat Nash equilibrium neighbours nice Nikkie Pavlov play prisoner's dilemma queen rational reason reciprocity reward Robert Trivers segregation distorters self-interest selfish gene selfless sexual Smith social spears species strategy termites territory theory thing thrive Tit-for-tat tournament trade trees tribal tribe Trivers troop trust virtue women workers Yanomamo Yeroen Yir Yoront