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The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation
by
Matt Ridley
If, as Darwin suggests, evolution relentlessly encourages the survival of the fittest, why are humans compelled to live in cooperative, complex societies? In this fascinating examination of the roots of human trust and virtue, a zoologist and former American editor of the Economist reveals the results of recent studies that suggest that self-interest and mutual aid are not...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
April 1st 1998
by Penguin Books
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The Origins of Virtue is a non-technical discussion of the evolutionary aspects of cooperation and altruism. That being an extremely complex subject (and still very much an active area of research), a short book like this can only skim the surface. Although I've read other books, magazine articles, and blog posts, there were some things here that were new to me. For example, the pair of chapters introducing game theory are better than other introductory articles I've seen, which (surprisingly) g...more
The book opens with a daring jail break. The story notes that the person escaping the grim Russian prison is, in fact, a member of the nobility, one of the Czar's favorites when the escapee was much younger. The person breaking out, of course, is Peter Kropotkin, the anarchist prince. However, it is not his philosophy so much as his work in natural history that drew Matt Ridley's attention.
Kropotkin, on an exploration of Siberia, observed what he saw was cooperation among multitudin...more
Kropotkin, on an exploration of Siberia, observed what he saw was cooperation among multitudin...more
This book should definitely be on your short list of books to read if you are at all interested in what makes us humans behave as we do. It is one among many recently published books on evolutionary psychology -- and it's one of the very best. What distinguishes Ridley's book from the pack is his explicit grappling with the question: What does the fact that human moral sentiments are crafted by natural selection imply about the appropriate political order?
I definitely want and nee...more
I definitely want and nee...more
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This book extends the arguments about the genetic basis of behavior from the rest of the animal kingdom (familiar to readers of Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene") into human behavior, the appearance of cooperation and altruistic actions, and the unique nature of human society. The author, Matt Ridley, is good at engaging the reader, with many examples drawn not only from biology, but from diverse fields, including opera (the "Prisoner's Dilemma" chapter begins with the plot story f...more
Does the human species cooperate because it is inherently generous? Or does the success of cooperative behavior over thousands of years of evolutionary history provide the best means of obtaining our ultimately selfish desires? Ridley makes his case with a captivating tour of cooperation in human history with lessons from economics, biology, and computer science. Every page offers an "ah-hah" moment, and one feels ever more acquainted with his genetic predispositions upon reading.
The easiest to read of the several books on evolutionary psychology that I've read.
As a side somewhat sad note on virtue and its origins or lack thereof, Matt Ridley wrote a review of "The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life" stating, among other things, that it was a "wish-I-had-thought-of-that sort of science book." The Moral Animal was copyrighted 1994. Ridley's Origins of Virtue in 1996.
As a side somewhat sad note on virtue and its origins or lack thereof, Matt Ridley wrote a review of "The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life" stating, among other things, that it was a "wish-I-had-thought-of-that sort of science book." The Moral Animal was copyrighted 1994. Ridley's Origins of Virtue in 1996.
The first few chapters had me anxious to see what more intriguing concepts lay ahead. I was disappointed, however, on how long the author stuck to each topic, especially the tit-for-tat theory. It was a drag until the very end. I think it could've been interesting if the book had focused more on humans rather than animals.
I approach most writing (and, frankly most "research") about evolutionary psychology with a great deal of skepticism, but Ridley does his characteristically good work with the subject. Lucid writing. Not a lot of unjustified speculation about behavior based on shaky science, rather the opposite.
This book can be quite dangerous in the same way that any powerful idea can be dangerous if it makes you question the very foundation of our societies/lives. It's a very thorough study of the origin of human virtue. A very satisfying read with some genuinely unique insights into our nature and choices. Ridley also provides a good insight into game theory and how this helps us to gain insight into human virtue and the choices we make to be virtuous or defective. It might seem like a strange final...more
Excellent book, made me smarter. Key surprising takeaways from near the end of the book:
- The idea that indigenous peoples generally look after the environment is a myth
- Nationalization of land *creates* a tragedy of the commons more often than it alleviates one.
- The idea that indigenous peoples generally look after the environment is a myth
- Nationalization of land *creates* a tragedy of the commons more often than it alleviates one.
Ridley explores the concepts laid out by Charles Darwin regarding the spirit of cooperation amongst the human race with clarity and purpose. He is a compelling author with well-defined views.
Great read!
Great read!
Matt Ridley, a former journalist, continues to provide evolutionary-psychology and zoology grounded insights into human behavior. An old book, but good groundwork for more recently published material.
Despite being very unfocussed, this book gave me a lot to think about. The ending was bizarre but once Elizabeth gave the author's bio it made sense.
Information overload. Got bits and pieces out of it and found the human examples more interesting but in the end I'm still not sure what I got out of it.
A well-written book for mass audiences on the evolution of cooperation operating at the rational, biological, and cultural levels.
Amazing book. Well written, well researched and interesting. The right antidote against Malcom Gladwell, who generalizes from 5 data points, inflates claims and spins the truth to make it marketable and comfortable.
Done. Required for a class. Full of speculation, but not a bad early effort at trying to explain the evolution of altruistic behavior in humans. Also fun that the U of Utah's anthro dept is the subject of one of the chapters.
The book offers a a theory of how cooperation and altruism might arise without recourse to divine intervention. Sobering.
Let me see if I have this straight: Matt Ridley’s "The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation" argues that because human beings are genetically structured to cooperate, the state should keep out of human affairs and leave smaller communities of property owners to look after themselves using a free-trade model.
Good grief. I guess I should have expected as much from a former “Economist” editor.
Good grief. I guess I should have expected as much from a former “Economist” editor.
I read this book while on vacation with a girlfriend out west. I remember towards the end of the book ridley identified a sappy speech about the environment that is often erroneously attributed to a particular american indian leader; in reality the speech is from a movie and written to be sappy. As I finished the book, I picked up one of our tour books which reprinted the exact speech ridley had quoted and erroneously attributed it to the same american indian leader. i never trusted that tour bo...more
A slightly more biological perspective on evolutionary biology
Tired of "nature, red in tooth and claw". Then read Ridley.
three stars for the first half
four stars for the second half
four stars for the second half
Need to read again, to fully absorb some of the ideas.
Bit tempted to put this one in science fiction.
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I. Society of Genes - in which there's a mutiny
Kropotkin - greater good prevails
So a beehive is not, as Shakespeare thought, a despotism, run from above. It is a democracy, in which the individual wishes of the many prevail over the egoism of each.
majoritarian supervision of the parliament of genes: As Egbert Leigh has put it, 'It is as if we had to do w/ a parliament of genes: each acts in its own self-interest, but if its acts hrut others, they will combine...more
Kropotkin - greater good prevails
So a beehive is not, as Shakespeare thought, a despotism, run from above. It is a democracy, in which the individual wishes of the many prevail over the egoism of each.
majoritarian supervision of the parliament of genes: As Egbert Leigh has put it, 'It is as if we had to do w/ a parliament of genes: each acts in its own self-interest, but if its acts hrut others, they will combine...more
This was one of the most enjoyable reads I have had, which kept me engaged to the very end. One unique quality is that it dances between ideas that seem both "liberal" and "conservative", while remaining true to observations and evidence. I found that aspect very refreshing given the extremism and polarization that politics (or potentially political subjects) can engender. A truly fascinating book, in my opinion.
This was a very interesting book, but slightly depressing, as it discussed adaptive explanations for nice behavior. I think it is very useful to understand the way niceness has helped our species to survive, but don't read this when you're searching for meaning in life or changing direction into an unknown trajectory...
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The Hon. Matthew White Ridley (born 7 February 1958, in Northumberland) is an English science writer, businessman and aristocrat. Ridley was educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford where he received a doctorate in zoology before commencing a career in journalism. Ridley worked as the science editor of The Economist from 1984 to 1987 and was then its Washington correspondent from 1987 to 1989...more
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