RE: Reciprocal altruism Re: [asa] Random and design

So then does this mean that people donate because they "feel" the same sense
of pleasure as when they hit the lottery?
 
Again doesn't sound Christian. I would agree that our natural human-animal
instinct might produce a need for giving, as well as receiving. But does
scripture not say that the rewards you do not receive will be rewarded
tenfold in heaven. I have always believed that scripture encourages us to
avoid the need for reciprocity of all forms. Turn the other cheek. No
reciprocity. Love your enemy. No reciprocity. The bible is trying to get
us past our animal self and into our spiritual self.
 
Don Perrett

  _____

From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
Behalf Of Pim van Meurs
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 00:55
To: Pim van Meurs; donperrett@theology-perspectives.net
Cc: ASA Discussions
Subject: Reciprocal altruism Re: [asa] Random and design

Recent research relevant to the discussion. Full article free on PNAS

Proc <javascript:AL_get(this, 'jour', 'Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.');> Natl
Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Oct 17;103(42):15623-8. Epub 2006 Oct 9. Related
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=pubmed_Abstract&db=pubm
ed&cmd=Display&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=17030808> Articles, Links
<javascript:PopUpMenu2_Set(Menu17030808);>
 
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/utils/fref.fcgi?itool=Abstract-def&PrId=
3051&uid=17030808&db=pubmed&url=http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long
&pmid=17030808> Click here to read
Human fronto-mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation.

 
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&itool=pu
bmed_Abstract&term=%22Moll+J%22%5BAuthor%5D> Moll J,
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&itool=pu
bmed_Abstract&term=%22Krueger+F%22%5BAuthor%5D> Krueger F,
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&itool=pu
bmed_Abstract&term=%22Zahn+R%22%5BAuthor%5D> Zahn R,
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&itool=pu
bmed_Abstract&term=%22Pardini+M%22%5BAuthor%5D> Pardini M,
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&itool=pu
bmed_Abstract&term=%22de+Oliveira%2DSouza+R%22%5BAuthor%5D> de
Oliveira-Souza R,
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&itool=pu
bmed_Abstract&term=%22Grafman+J%22%5BAuthor%5D> Grafman J.

Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1440, USA.

Humans often sacrifice material benefits to endorse or to oppose societal
causes based on moral beliefs. Charitable donation behavior, which has been
the target of recent experimental economics studies, is an outstanding
contemporary manifestation of this ability. Yet the neural bases of this
unique aspect of human altruism, which extends beyond interpersonal
interactions, remain obscure. In this article, we use functional magnetic
resonance imaging while participants anonymously donated to or opposed real
charitable organizations related to major societal causes. We show that the
mesolimbic reward system is engaged by donations in the same way as when
monetary rewards are obtained. Furthermore, medial orbitofrontal-subgenual
and lateral orbitofrontal areas, which also play key roles in more primitive
mechanisms of social attachment and aversion, specifically mediate decisions
to donate or to oppose societal causes. Remarkably, more anterior sectors of
the prefrontal cortex are distinctively recruited when altruistic choices
prevail over selfish material interests.

----- Original Message ----
From: Pim van Meurs <pimvanmeurs@yahoo.com>
To: donperrett@theology-perspectives.net
Cc: ASA Discussions <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 9:38:14 PM
Subject: Re: [asa] Random and design

In other words, reciprocal altruism matches the 'love thy neighbor' and 'do
unto others' concepts and you argue that it does not match what you believe
Christ seems to tell us in Matthew 5.

So let's explore reciprocal altruism a bit further.

"Reciprocal altruism means helping someone out who needs it, with the
understanding that the favor may be returned at some distant, unspecified
date in the future, whenever the altruist happens to need it. The return
favor may not even come from the
original recipient, but someone else entirely. It's just a general practice
that promotes group survival. "

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-spectrumone.htm

I think the relevant aspect is the 'may be returned at some distant and
unspecified date in the future'. In other words, reciprocal altruisms seems
to have more in common with Scriptures than you may give credit.

Wiki: It would only be expected to evolve in the presence of a mechanism to
identify and punish "cheaters"

And that's where religion comes into play. God can be a very powerful
mechanism that can keep inline potential cheaters.

I am not sure what you mean with 'mixing your religion with economics
again'. And no, your example is not what is more commonly understood to be
reciprocal altruism but rather an example direct exchange. You know you will
be paid a certain amount at a certain time.

Hope this clarifies.

The Golden Rule

12 "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the
essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

The ethic of reciprocity or "The Golden Rule" is a fundamental moral
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality> principle found in virtually all
major religions <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religions> and cultures
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture> , which simply means "treat others as
you would like to be treated." It is arguably the most essential basis for
the modern concept of human rights
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights> . Principal philosophers and
religious figures have stated it in different ways:

* "Love your neighbor as yourself." - Moses
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses> (ca. 1525-1405 BCE) in the Torah
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah> , Leviticus 19:18
<http://php.ug.cs.usyd.edu.au/%7Ejnot4610/bibref.php?book=%20Leviticus&verse
=19:18&src=%21>

* "What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others." -
Confucius <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius> (ca. 551-479 BCE)

* "What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man." - Hillel
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillel_the_Elder> (ca. 50 BCE-10 CE)

* "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." - Jesus
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus> (ca. 5 BCE-33 CE) in the Gospels
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospels> , Luke 6:31
<http://php.ug.cs.usyd.edu.au/%7Ejnot4610/bibref.php?book=%20Luke&verse=6:31
&src=%21> ; Luke 10:27
<http://php.ug.cs.usyd.edu.au/%7Ejnot4610/bibref.php?book=%20Luke&verse=10:2
7&src=%21> (affirming of Moses)- Matthew 7:12
<http://php.ug.cs.usyd.edu.au/%7Ejnot4610/bibref.php?book=%20Matthew&verse=7
:12&src=%21>

* "Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you." - Muhammad
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad> (c. 571 - 632 CE) in The Farewell
Sermon <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farewell_Sermon> .

Don wrote:

>So Christ seems to tell us that even if we have nothing to gain from it, we
should love our enemies. This goes against the very grain of the >first
paragraph in the Wiki page on Reciprocal Altruism. Are you sure that you're
not mixing your religion with economics again? I go to work >and in
exchange I expect a paycheck. That is "reciprocal altruism".

Don Perrett

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Received on Mon Nov 27 08:59:43 2006