from molecules to morality: the evolution of altruism
TRANSCRIPT
Darwin Day 2010
Daniel SprockettFebruary 11, 2010
Outline
What is Morality?
Where does it come from?
What does a scientific understanding of the world have to say about moral issues?
Morality ideas about right and wrong
Altruism sacrifice for the benefit of another
individual
Symbiosis Mutualism
+/+
Commensalism 0/+
Parasitism -/+
Where does Morality come from?
Francis Collins The Language of God (2006):
The “Moral Law” is evidence of God’s existence Our Capacity for Selflessness Our Ability to understand the
difference between right and wrong
Kin Selection
W.D. Hamilton (1964) Hamilton’s Rule:
R x B > C in a given situation, the individual
assesses his neighbor's fitness against his own according to the coefficients of their relatedness
"I would lay down my life for two brothers or eight cousins” -J.B.S Haldane
Kin Selection
Kin Selection
Elsewhere in the animal kingdom: Other Primates Dolphins Elephants
Plants Slime Molds (Dictyostelium
descodeum)
Reciprocal Altruism
Robert Trivers (1971) Helping someone at a cost to
myself is beneficial if the likelihood that they’ll help you in the reverse situation is high.
The Golden Rule
Likelihood decreases as dispersal increases
Reciprocal Altruism
Can help explain social Functions of emotions: Friendship: Liking and Disliking Moralistic Aggression:
Protection from cheaters Gratitude and Sympathy Trust and Suspicion
Reciprocal Altruism
Other Animals: Warning calls Cleaner Fish
Reciprocal Altruism
Reciprocal Altruism
Reciprocal Altruism Game Theory:
The Prisoner’s Dilemma
The Selfish Gene
(1976) The Altruistic
Animal
What can cognitive neuroscience tell us
about how we make moral decisions?
Functional MRI Studies
Greene et al., Science, 2001
Morality vs. Pro-social Behavior
What does a scientific understanding of the world have to say about moral issues?
“Science is not in the business of shedding
light on moral debates.”
-Richard Dawkins
What does a scientific understanding of the world have to say about moral issues?
However, science CAN inform moral debates because:
Scientific thinking can reveal inconsistencies in moral philosophy.
scientific information can illuminate moral decisions Slavery Abortion Animal Rights
Questions?
“Morality: From the Heavens or From Nature?” By Dr. Andy Thomson, AAI 2009
“Nice Guys Finish First.” By Richard Dawkins, BBC 1987
www.MolecularFossils.com