TY  - BOOK
AU  - Wilson,David Sloan
TI  - Does altruism exist?: culture, genes, and the welfare of others 
T2  - Foundational questions in science
SN  - 9780300219883
U1  - 302.14 23
PY  - 2015///]
CY  - New Haven, [Conn.], London
PB  - Yale University Press
KW  - Altruism
KW  - Evolution (Biology)
KW  - Philosophy
KW  - Human evolution
KW  - Evolutionary psychology
KW  - Social evolution
KW  - Behavior evolution
N1  - Includes bibliographical references and index; 1. Groups That Work -- 2. How Altruism Evolves -- 3. Equivalence -- 4. From Nonhumans to Humans -- 5. Psychological Altruism -- 6. Altruism and Religion -- 7. Altruism and Economics -- 8. Altruism in Everyday Life -- 9. Pathological Altruism -- 10. Planetary Altruism
N2  - 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 centre stage in our understanding of social behaviour. After laying a general theoretical foundation, Wilson surveys altruism and group-level functional organization in our own species - 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. Does Altruism Exist? puts old controversies to rest and will become the centre of debate for decades to come
ER  -