"The behavioral sciences have traditionally offered two contrasting explanations of cooperation. One, favored by sociologists and anthropologists, considers the willingness to subordinate self-interest to the needs of the social group to be part of human nature. Another, favored by economists and biologists, treats cooperation as the result of the interaction of selfish agents maximizing their long-term individual material interests. Moral Sentiments and Material Interests argues that a significant fraction of people fit neither of these stereotypes. Rather, they are conditional cooperators and altruistic punishers. We show that a high level of cooperation can be attained when social groups have a sufficient fraction of such types, which we call strong reciprocators, and we draw implications of this phenomenon for political philosophy and social policy."
Page xi.
Talk about a page-turner!!!! I'm on page 85 and this book is extremely fascinating! The book is a 'reader', with each chapter written by different authors exploring the results of their research; research that may supplant classical economic theory by taking into account real human behavior both observed in the field and in experiments. Some chapters include: The Natural History of Human Food Sharing and Cooperation, The Economics of Strong Reciprocity, The Evolution of Altruistic Punishment, and Policies That Crowd out Reciprocity and Collective Action.
This book was referenced in a previous blog post because of a magazine article that referenced and quoted the book and I was so intrigued I had to purchase it; I have not been disappointed.
Page xi.
Talk about a page-turner!!!! I'm on page 85 and this book is extremely fascinating! The book is a 'reader', with each chapter written by different authors exploring the results of their research; research that may supplant classical economic theory by taking into account real human behavior both observed in the field and in experiments. Some chapters include: The Natural History of Human Food Sharing and Cooperation, The Economics of Strong Reciprocity, The Evolution of Altruistic Punishment, and Policies That Crowd out Reciprocity and Collective Action.
This book was referenced in a previous blog post because of a magazine article that referenced and quoted the book and I was so intrigued I had to purchase it; I have not been disappointed.
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