The social parts of our brain are certainly larger than those of our closest relatives but is it merely greater size which makes us more altruistic?
There are different levels of altruistic behaviour until you reach the higher spheres of thought and emotion which only humans are capable of.
"If you lived in a group where everyone was very helpful to each other, behaved altruistically, and your group could then dominate other groups, then those altruistic tendencies would increase in frequency and the number of groups displaying those capacities would increase".
According to sector thinktank nfpSynergy to help people be altruistic, "we need them to be selfish" Volunteering has a rich history, traceable in Britain at least back to medieval times, when there was a strong association between religion and ministration to the poor and sick.
From 1 January next year, atheists yearning to slip on a woggle and embrace the self-reliant yet altruistic philosophy of the Scouts will find the organisation well prepared.
"There are studies which suggest genes affecting oxytocin signalling might be associated with differences in altruistic behaviour.
Insects such as ants or honeybees are almost certainly not neurologically advanced enough to feel emotions such as empathy but are extremely altruistic, regularly sacrificing themselves for the sake of their colony.
To help people be altruistic, it argues, "we need them to be selfish" in terms of thinking what's in it for them.
Andersen, the fifth member of the big five, says it has begun to avoid doing non-audit work for audit clients as part of its post-Enron reforms.These moves are not altruistic.
The promises are in any case less altruistic and generous than they might look.
It does not disallow altruistic behaviour, but requires that this evolve in a way that promotes the interest of a particular gene for example by helping close relatives who might also harbour the gene in question.
