The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation

303 Pages·1998·5.25 MB·English

by  Matt Ridley

A brillieaxnatm inatioofnm an'sm ostb asic
instinct-tdhees irfeo rm utuaali da ndt rust
Ifa,s Darwins uggestesv,o lutiroenl entleesnscloyu ragtehse s urvival
oft hef ittewshty,a reh umansi mpellteodl ivien c ooperaticvoem,p lex
societiTehsi?s f ascinateixnagm inatioofnt her ootosf h umant rust
andv irtue retvheear less ulotfsr ecenstt udies stuhgagte stth aste lf­
intereasntd mutuaali da ren ota t ailnlc omptaiblIen.f acto,u r
cooperatiinvset inmcatys havee volveads p arotf m ankind'nsa tural
selfibsehh avior-bye xchangifnagv orwse canb enefoiutr selvaess
welals o thers.
Brilliaonrtclhye strattihneng e westf indinogfsg enetistcsi,
psychologiasntdsa ,n thropologThies tOsri,g inosfV iurte re-examines
thee verydaays sumptionusp on whichw e baseo ura ctiontso wards
others, whewteh aerren urturing parseinbtlsi,n ogrst ,r adpea rtners.
Witht hew ita ndb rilliaonfTc eh e RQeude enh,i sa cclaimsetdu doyf
humana nda nimasle xualiMtayt,t Ridley usshh oowws b reakthroughs
inc omputeprr ogramminmgi,c robioloagnyde, c onomitch eorhya ve
alpll ayetdh eirro lien p rovidiunsg w itha unique perspeocnt hiovwe
andw hy we relatteoe acho ther".S ociethye, r"e marks",wo rknso t
becauswee havec onsciouisnlvye ntietdb, u tb ecausieti sa na ncient
producotfo ure volvepdr edispositIitio sln ist.e rianlo luyrn ature."
'J','Il"l},+ rf\',," r'
A PENGUBOIONK
Science ISBN 0-14-026445-0
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PENGUINB OOKS
THEO RIGINOSF V IRTUE
MatRti dlelya'sbsto okT,h eR edQ uee(nP eunignw)a,s
shorstt-efldoit rh Reh one-PoPurlifezonerc scbioeonkcse
andth Wer iteGrusiA'lw da rfdor n onficHteio obnt.a ined
hiDs. Phiinzl o.o lforgoyOm x foUrndi verasniwdto yr,k ed
ass cieendcie,tW oasrhingctoornr nedsepnoatn,Ad m erican
editfootrrh Eec onsotmA.i r eseaflrelcohow ft hIen stitute
ofE conoAmfifca ainrdasT rusotfe eIt nhtee rnaCteino­nal
trfeo Lri fheel, i vienNs o rthumbeErnlgalnawdni,dt h,hi s
wifaeu ,n iverreseairdat,yn d son.
Praifsoer
ThOer iogVfii nrst ue
"[MaRtitd lmeayn)a gteocs o mbian es cholarly approach
witahg redaatsa hn wdi wth,i cphut hsi m waehleloa fdt he
fielsdt;i mulaantgdir nefgau t.n "
-MaxW ilkinFsionna,nT cmi.eisa l
"Ina n ine wrhai bciho losgciiceiancslch ea lletnrgaidnigt ional
eth,ih cehs arsa itshedede battoae n ewl evesle roifo usness
anidm porctea.n" -JohCno rnwTehlTelmi, e s
"Thbeo ok is extremelyt hwseeo lrlt worfi tatneenc ­with
dotal adnewdti attih la t fmoalrki ev reelayd eivnegwn h en
the maobsstt troapciatcr bsee itnrge a.t"e d
-FranBs. M.W adaeNl a,t ure
"Imfy S lefhiG senwee rteoh avaev olutmweod evottoe d
humanTsh,eO rigoifVn isur eit psr etmtuyc h wIht ahti nk
iotu ghtl otoloki ke-.R"i chaDradw kins
MatRti dley
ORI GINS
THE
OF I R
V T U E
Human Inasntdit nhcet s
EvoluotfiC oono peration
PENGUINBO OKS
PENGUINB OOKS
Publisbhythee dP enguGirno pu
PenguPiuntn amI nc3.7,5H udsoSnt reet,
NewY orkN,e wY ork1 001U4.,S .A.
PenguBiono kLst d2,7 W righLtsa ne,
LondoWn8 51Z,E ngland
PenguBiono kAsu strLatldi,a
RingwooVdi,c toAruisat,r alia
PenguBiono kCsa nadLat d1,0 A lcoArnv enue,
ToronOtnot,a rCiaon,a dMa4 V 3B2
PenguBiono k(sN .ZL.t)d 1,8 2-1W9a0i raRuo ad,
Auckla1n0dN, e wZ ealand
PenguBiono kLst dR,e gistOeffirceeds :
HarmondsworMtihd,d lesEenxg,l and
Firpsutb lisihnGe rde aBtr itbayiP ne nguBiono kLst d1 996
Firpsutb lisihnte hdUe n itSetda toefAs m eribcyaV ikiPnegn guin,
ad ivisoifPo enn guBiono kUsS AI nc1.9 97
PublisihnPe edn guBoionk s1 998
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
I
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Copyri©g Mhattt R idle1y9,9 6
Alrli ghrtess erved
IllustrbaytN iaonncTsyo lford
THEL IBRAROYF CONGRESSH ASC ATALOGUEDT HEV IKINGA MERICANE DITIN ASF OLLOWS:
RidlMeaytt, .
Theo rigoifnv si rthuuem:a inn stianncdtt hsee v olutoifco ono peraIt iaotnRt i dley.
p. cm.
Inclubdiebsl iograrpehfiecraealnn cdie nsd ex.
ISBN0 -670-874(4h9e-.3)
ISBN0 1402.6404( 5p bk.)
1.E volut(iBoino log2y.A) l trUis3m.E. t hiEcvso,l utionIa.Tr iyt.l e.
QH366.2.R512979 7
303.5-dc209 6-44907
Printienthd e U nitSetda roefAs m erica
Seitn S abon
Exceipntt hUen ited SotfAa mteersi tcah,ib so oiks s old sutboj ect
thceo nditthiaotin ts hanlolt b,yw ayo ft radoreo therwbiesl ee,n t,
re-sohlidr,oe udt o,ro therwciisrec ulwaittheodut th peu blisher's
pricoorn seinnat n yf oromf b indinogrc oveorth ethra nt haitn
whiciht piusb lisahnedwd i thoaus ti milar condition including
thicso nditbeiionngi mposoendth es ubsequpeurncth aser.
Contents
Acknloewdmgeents vii
Prologue 1
CHAPTER ONE TheS ocieotfGy e nes 9
CHAPTER TwO TheD ivisoifoL na bour 35
CHAPTER THREE The Prisoner's Di5l1e mma
CHAPTER FOUR TelliHnagw ksfr oDmo ves 67
CHAPTER FIVE Dutya ndt heF east 85
CHAPTER SIX PublGioco dasn dP rivGaitfet s1 03
CHAPTER SEVEN TheoroifeM so raSle ntime1n2.5t s
,
CHAPTER EIGHT TheT ribParli mates 149
CHAPTER NINE TheS ourocfeW ar 171
CHAPTER TEN TheG ainfsr oTmr ade 195
CHAPTER ELEVEN EcoloagsRy e ligion 2.11
CHAPTER TWELVE TheP oweorf P roperty2. 2.7
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Trust 2.47
Souracnde Nso tes 2.67
Index 2.85
Acknowledgements
Thew ordisnt hibso oakr een tireolwyn b;mu yt itnhsei agnhdt s
idebaesl omnogs ttlooy t hpeero pMlye g.r eadteebsittst ot hose
whos hartehdet ihro ugahntdds i scovweirtmihee s so g eneursoly.
Somes ubmittleodni gnt toe rroogras teinpotan pse arnsdb ooks,
some gmaovreao lrp ractsiucpaplao nrdt someo rcr reiatdi cized
drafotfcs h aptIet rhsa.tn hke aml sli ncerely.
Theiyn clTuedreAr:n derCshorni,s tBoapdhceorRc okg,eB ra te,
y
LaurBae tzRiogg,eB ri nghMaomn,i qBuoer gehMouflfd eMra,r k
BoycReo,b eBroty dS,a mB ritSttaenp,h Beund ianSstkeyp,h anie
CaboEtl,i zaCbaesthhd Naanp,o leCohna gnBornu,c Ceh arlton,
DorotChhye neJyer,e Cmhye rfLaesd,a Cosmides, Helena Cronin,
LeCer onCkl,i Cvreo oBkr,u Dcaek owsRkiic,h Daarwdk iRnosb,i n
DunbaPra,uE lk maWno,l fgFainkge ntRsocbheeFrrrt,a nAkn,t hony
GottlDiaveibHd,a ig, Bill Hamilton,G aPreerttte r Hammerstein,
HardJionh,Hn a rtuTnogs,h ikHaazsue gaKwrai,sH taewnk eKsi,m
HilRlo,b eHritn dMea,r iHkior aiwsae-gHaaDwaav,i Hdi rshleifer,
JacHki rsehrlA,en iyfHau rlbMeargtd,a lHeunrat aLdaom,aJ ron es,
HillKaarpdl aCnh,a rles KBoebcK kelnetrr,iD degsem,o Knidn g­
HelMee,l K onner, LRaoybteBorrnti, a n MLaerikLt ihl,Tl oam,
LloyBdo,b Lboiw M,i chMaceGlu irReo,g eMra stersM,a yJnoahrnd
Smith, MGeesnheeG re,o ffMrielyl Gerra,e mMei tchiMsaornt,i n
NowaEkl,i nOosrt rWoaml,l Raacvee Pne,tR eirc herAsdoanRm,i d­
ley, RAolgaenPr asu,l RomeRru,n cGiamrMarinyr, a nSdeyam our,
StepShheenn nan, Fred SSmmiitLthyh,l,S e t VeeardnmJoaannm ,e s
SteeMliec,h aTealy lLoiro,n el JToihgne rT,oR oobbyeT,rr ti vers,
ColTiund gRei,c hWaerbdb G,e orWgiel liMaamrsg,Wo i lsaonnd
viiiT HE ORIGINOSF V ITRUE
RoberWtr ighItth. a sb eena privitloes gee teh esmei
andI o nlhyo pIeh avdeo njeu sttioct eh eiidre as.
Fort hepiart ieanncdae d vi1cte h,a nmky agenFt si,c iBtryy an
I
andP eteGri nsbemryg e;d itaonrdse ncouraagtVe irksn gP enguin
-RavMii rchandCalnaiAr,le e xanadnedMr a rkS taffaonrdsd e·v eral
newspaapnedrm agaziendei twohrosg avmee t hesp act ot royu t
somei deaisnp ri-ntC harles Moore,O 'RHeadl moonRn,od s ie
BoycoatntdM axW ilkinson.
Abovael la,n df oerv erythIti hnagn,mk y wifAen,y aH urlbert.
Prologue
In whaRi ucshs ainaanr chist
-escafrpoemsp rison
Iw asi np aitnoc onsitdhemeri sercaobnldei otfit ohnoe l d
mana;n nd owm ya lmgsi,v isnogmr ee ldioetfh, almseo. ease
ThomaHso bbeesx,p laiwnhiyn g
heg avsei xpeton acb ee ggar.
Thep risownaesir n a dilemmAash. e p acesdl owly alaocncgu sh­is
tomepda thh,es uddenhelayr ad v ioliinnt ,h eo pewni ndoowf a
housoev erlootkhipenr gi syoanr Idtw. a sp layianne gx citing Kontski
mazurkTah.es ignBaulth! e w asa tt hapto initnh iwsa lkf arthest
frotmh ep risgoant Hei.s e scapplea mnu stwo rkt hefi rstti moer
nota ta lflo,i rtd epended suupropnr itshiegn uga rds.
Now heh adt os hehdi sh eavdyr essing-tguorwannn ,dr un
towartdhseo pegna toef t hepr isboenf otrheeg uarcdosu lcda tch
himT.h eg atwea so petno r eceai vree gular doeffil rievweoroyd .
Onceo utsihdiefs,r iewnodusl wdh ishki ma wayt hroutghhse t reets
ofS tP etersibnua cr agr riTahgeep .l anhasd b eecna reflualiladyn, d
relayteotd h ep risoinnec ri phienra messahgied deinna watch
delivetrohe idmb ya w omanv isiHtiosrf .r iewnedrspe o staeldo ng
thes trefeottr w om ileesa,c ghi vian dgi ffesriegnntta olt hen ext
thatth es treweetrsce l eoafrt rafTfihce.v iolwianst hse igntahla t
thes treweatsc leatrh,ec arriwaagsei np lacteh,eg uaradt t he
hospigtaatclel otsoet hcea rriwaagsbe e ienngg agedde eimpni, s lead­
incgo nversbaytt ihopenr isonceorn'fse deornta htseeu bjoefch to w
parasaiptpeesua nrd etrh em icrosc(orpees eahracdrh e veatlheadt
thegu ardh'osb bwya sm icroscaonpdyt )h,aa tl wla sr eady.
Buto nes liapn dh ew oulnde vehra vaen othcehra ncHee.w ould
2. THEOR IGINOSF V IRTUE
probabeb lrye turnferdo tmh Set P etersmbiulrigt haorp yi tjaa)ti lo
thed arkd,a mpe,n feebgllionogom f t heP etearn dP ulf ortress,
wherhee h ada lreasdpye nttw ol oneslcyu,r vy-riedadrSoes n.he
mustc hooshei sm omencta refuWloluyl.dt hem azuar continue
unthielr eachtehdpe o initnt hpea tnhe artehspetr isoant eW?h en
shouhledr un?
Witht rembltirnegah dep acebda cakl ontgh ep ath
prisgoant Hee. r eachtedh ee ndo ft hpea tahn dt urnteo l ooakt
thse entwrhyo w asf ollowhiinmgt: h em anh ads toppfiev ep aces
behinTdh.ev iolwianss tipllla yi(nagnw de lhle,th ou t).
Now!W itht hetw oq uicmko tiohnesh adp ractistehdo usand
timehsefl, u nogf hfi csu mbrous gaanrdmb ernotki en taor unT.h e
sentgrayv ceh asflei,n gihnigrs i fl.ef orwatrosd tsr itk epe r isoner
downw itthh eb ayonBeutt.d esperalteintothn ep riseors trength
andh er eachtehdee n traunncsec athaendda f ewp acese ado fh is
pursuTehrr.uo ght heg athee h esitfaotares de coonnds eeitnhga t
thec arriwaagsoe c cupbiyea d m ani na militaryo lcdta opt .h e
enemyh!et hougBhutt.t hehne n oticetdh es andwyh ik erosf h is
frietnhdet, s ariptesras'ospn hayls icainadan s ecrreet l utionary,
beneatthhce a ph;e l eaapbto arTdh.ec abs peadw ayi n0 thcei ty,
pursbueiitnh ga mperbeyhd i fsr ienwdhso h adh iraeldnl a rbcya bs.
Theyd rovteoa b arbesrh'osps ,h avoefdtf h ep risonbeera'ra dn d
bye veniwnegr ee nsconicneo dn eo ft hem ostf asi onabolfe
StP etersbruersgt'aSu rwahnetrtseh, se e crpeotl iwcoeu lnde veerv en
thinokfl ooking.
Mutual aid
Muchm,u chl atetrh,ep risownoeurl rde membtehre .Cftt hahte
owedh ifsr eedotmot he couorfoa tghee trhse: womwa 0nb rought
thwea tcthh,we o manw hop laytehdve i oltihnef, r ienhdo d rove
thec arriaangdet hep hysicwihaons ati nsiidtea, l le various
confedewrhaotk eespt th set receltesoa frt rafwfihci lhee adeg ood
hiess capIetw. a sa teaemff ortth astp ,rang himf rojmi ia,n dt he
memoryw ast oi gniitnhe i msi nadw holteh eoorfhy u m evolution.
PR.OLOGUE 3
PrinPceet Kerro potiksri enm embetroedda iyaf,t a lals,a na narch­
isBtu.th iess cafpreo amt sarpirsitsi on1n 8 67w ast hmeo sdtr amatic
andn otabmloem enitn a loncgo,n trovearnsdpi uabll liicfF er.o m
ane arlayge thep rinhcaedb eemna rkeodu tf odr istincTthieo n.
sono fa d istinguairsihsetdo gcreanteirwcah le,no nleyi gyheta orlsd
hew asn oticbeyTd s aNri cholIaa tsa balwlh,e rhee w asa page
dressienPd e rsicaons tuamned,o rderteojd o itnh Ceo rposfP ages,
Russimao'ssst e lemcitl itaacrayd emIynt. h Ceo rphsee xcelalnedd ,
wasp ickaesdt hese rgeaa pnto,st th acta rritehdej obo fp ersonal
pagteo t het sahri mse(lbfny o wA lexanIdIeA)r .g littmeirliintga ry
ord iplomcaatriecle arby e fohriem .
ButK ropotkai bnr,i llmiianndit n fectweidt fhr ee-thibnyak ing
Frentcuht ohra,do theird eaJso.i ninsgc aan daluonufsalsyh ionable
Siberrieagni mehnest p,e nste veyreaalr esx plortihnefg a era stern
reachoefSs i berpiiao,n eesreivnegnr eawlr outtehsr outghhme o un­
taiannsdr ivgeorr goefts h alta nadn dd evelohpiiosnw gn p recocious
theoraibeosut th eg eoloangyd histoorfty h eA siacno ntinHeen t.
returtnoeS dtP etersabg uerogg rapohfne orta en dd,i sgusbtyte hde
politpirciasloh nehs a ds eeans ,e crreetv olutiAofntaearr vy i.s tiot
Switzerwlhaenrdhe,e f eulln detrh es peolflt hea narchMiiscth ael
Bakunhienj ,o inaenud n dergrcoiurnocdfl ae n archiints htResu ssian
capitaanldw, o rketdof omentth er evolutSioomne.t ihmeew se nt
smi.ifgrhotmd iniantgt heW intePra latcoem eetinwghse rhee
couladgi taitned isguaimsoen g wtohrek earnsd p easa,nUtnsd.e r
thpes eudonByomr odhienp ,u blisihneflda mmatpoarmyp hlaentds
develogpreedra etn owansa fi rebrasnpde aker.
Whent hep oliecvee ntucaalulgyuh ptw itBho rodainnd,h ew as
reveatloeb den onoet hetrh atnh ree nownPerdi nKcreo potktihne,'
tsaarn da lhli cso urwte rseh ockaendd f urioTuhsey. w ere even
morea ngrwyh ent,w oy earlsa tehree, s c�pferdo mp risionns o
flamboyaan mta nnearn dt ravelled uinndteeotx eiclHteee.l d i ved
successiivnEe nlgyl aSnwdi,t zerFlraanndac,ne d e ventuwahlleyn,
nowheerles weo ultda khei mi,n E nglaangda iTnh.e rhee t urned
graduaflrloaymg itattoim oonr jeu dicpihoiulso sopwhriictaailnn gd
speakoinnb ge haolftf h aen arcchaiussta en,di nveighingt haeg ainst
rivcarle eodfM arxiswmh,i chhe f elwta si nteonntr einventthien g