this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2023
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Socialism
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Evolutionary psychology does tend to strictly reduce human nature - and nature in general - to some cruel law of the fittest, as well as denying there is any debate to be had. It’s basically genetic determinism. Nevertheless, altruism is deeply seated in our behaviours and does go as far as collective child-rearing, or alloparenting.
There is still heated debate about why and how altruism expresses itself in human behaviour despite the apparent competitiveness of basic Darwinian evolution. In practice altruism and competitiveness are both present in humanity and we do have agency over how the balance tilts.
Indeed. But it doesn't preclude otherwise screwing people over.
Nothing you've said contradicts anything I've said. Ensuring one's own survival by altruistically caring for infants doesn't mean one sees those infants as carriers of one's own genes. Genetic relatives, especially offspring, are always one's primary concern. Because they share one's genes.