A Biology of Goodness

So as a freshmen in college I had a naive idea that if I ignored my general education requirements, my science, math and language requirements, they would eventually disappear and I could spend all my time studying the religion and theology I wanted to. Well as naïve freshmen thoughts often are, I was wrong. And so as a second semester senior I am taking 4th semester Spanish and sociobiology, which is this sociology biology hybrid class for people who need to fill a science requirement. Now typically this class becomes a time for returning emails, checking facebook and vaguely following along with lecture. (I am a second semester senior after all and senioritis is hitting hard). But this week I came across something fascinating in this course that’s given me a lot to think about.

We are talking about the development of altruistic behavior in humans. We had to read an article for the class by Felix Warneken that talked about his research on the development of helping behaviors in humans and primates. The gist of his research suggested that human beings have innate helping instincts. People aren’t narcissists that are socialized into a system of rewards and social status that encourages generous behavior. Humans are just inherently kind and helpful. The study even noted this behavior in bonobos (a type of science monkey). Our natural state is altruistic and kind.

As a Unitarian Universalist I believe that all people are inherently good. I understand that systems of inequality and oppression, of greed and violence socialize us toward self-centeredness, isolation and disdain. Yet, it gives me so much hope to see, laid out in cold scientific evidence, that each person has an innate goodness and sense of generosity. Let us be the people that cultivate the inner goodness!

One Comment

Consulente di Immagine posted on October 15, 2016 at 4:46 am

Very inspiring post.
Thanks for sharing with us.

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