On Wed, 17 Jul 2002 19:56:17 -0500, <johnkusch at charter.net> wrote:
>> "Our study shows, for the first time, that social cooperation is
>> intrinsically rewarding to the human brain, even in the face of
>> pressures to the contrary," said Gregory S. Berns, M.D., Ph.D.,
>> co-investigator and associate professor of psychiatry in the Emory
>> University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and
>> Behavioral Sciences and member of the CBN. "It suggests that the
>> altruistic drive to cooperate is biologically embedded-- either
>> genetically programmed or acquired through socialization during
>> childhood and adolescence."
>>This statement is made from the common, flawed perspective that altruism
>exists and that cooperation is not in the individual's best interest. It's
>fascinating to see that, in humans, cooperation is rewarding on a
>physiologic basis, but this does not prove that true altruism even exists.
>Survival of the species is in the interest of the individual.
IAN: Seems to me that the authors of the study misuse the
term "altruism," as when they say "the altruistic drive
to cooperate." Virtually all noncoercive activity in a
free market involves cooperation (people agreeing to work
together toward some goal), and thus is cooperative. Yet
virtually none of that activity is necessarily altruistic.
The American Heritage dictionary give us this: "Altruism :
Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness."
I tend to agree with the nonexistence of altruism but from
the view that when people do care for others, it comes not
from an denial of self, but an expanded definition of self.
In that respect, "self" is the central focus of all action.
Ian Goddard : http://users.erols.com/igoddard
"The smallest minority on earth is the individual.
Those who deny individual rights cannot claim
to be defenders of minorities." Ayn Rand
