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Merle -
I believe Nick's point was that humans have a capacity for a kind of altruism not seen in other animals. Most cultures seem to have a strong potential for altruism beyond family and clan. Some animals *do* seem to show spot examples of it, but I believe a great deal of our anecdotal reports are more about our projection onto animals (e.g. Tarzan, Mowgli) than actual observation. I once watched a flock of Pinon Jays drive one of my cats to release the Robin she had grabbed... and while it *looked* like they were rescuing the Robin, at best they were rescuing "something that looks a lot like a member of our own species/flock" and they might not have acted as quickly or assertively if it had been a sparrow or even more to the point, a mouse? There is also the possibility that they might have just been responding to the Cat's predatation as a threat to them "by proxy"... clearly a higher instinct, but Corvids are known for their advanced intelligence among birds. I really doubt that Robins would exhibit the same behaviour... or that a snake would attack a Robin for pulling a worm out of the ground! On the other hand, maybe (as Libertarians might hold) all of what passes for "altruism" humans could be "enligthened self-interest"? At least motivated by survival of the germ-line and possibly by extension, the clan or "the people". It certainly isn't "odd" in a perjorative sense except for the most died-in-the-wool Libertarian sense I don't think. I suspect this is the use of the term you take exception to Merle? I'm a big fan of altruism, even when I suspect it's roots being more selfish than we want to believe. - Steve |
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