One must remember that what is "self-interested" from a genetic point of view does not mean selfish and egocentric in the realm of ethics and morals, the notion that it does is a remnant of 19th Century Social Darwinist ideology and is promulgated by those who support a Reaganite Right-Wing Neo-Liberal worldview and by emotionally immature Ayn-Randoid freaks. Natural Selection is the result of ANYTHING that makes a certain trait survive and spread in a population, which is why I consider the term "genetic self-interest" misleading.
The evolutionary roots of altruistic behavior in humans has roots in the fact that if your sacrificing yourself leads to your relatives surviving to pass on that behavioral trait that trait will spread in the population. Cultural development has severed the link between genetic relatedness and altruism via how culture impacts the neuropsychology of Attachment. Culture and the development of large social units like cities, states, and religious communities has allowed the processes of attachment to occur between unrelated individuals.
A very good example of the impact of cultural practices is how Buddhist meditators use what is called "Loving-Kindness" meditation to strengthen altruistic behavioral links to unrelated people.
In fact, IMO culture has resulted in human societies becoming true super-organisms, like social insects, with culture being the glue holding the elements of the super-organism together.
The evolutionary roots of altruistic behavior in humans has roots in the fact that if your sacrificing yourself leads to your relatives surviving to pass on that behavioral trait that trait will spread in the population. Cultural development has severed the link between genetic relatedness and altruism via how culture impacts the neuropsychology of Attachment. Culture and the development of large social units like cities, states, and religious communities has allowed the processes of attachment to occur between unrelated individuals.
A very good example of the impact of cultural practices is how Buddhist meditators use what is called "Loving-Kindness" meditation to strengthen altruistic behavioral links to unrelated people.
In fact, IMO culture has resulted in human societies becoming true super-organisms, like social insects, with culture being the glue holding the elements of the super-organism together.
Last edited: