阅读生物学经典会让你对人性失望吗？

Today we are going to discuss a slightly heavy topic.

That is, if you read classic works of evolutionary biology, you might feel pessimistic.

Many people believe that science has proved human nature is selfish.

But is this really the only side of the story?

Let's take a look at what scientists have to say.

First, let's look at Darwin's point of view.

As early as the 19th century, Darwin proposed the theory of evolution.

Many biologists believe that the purpose of biological evolution is for the self.

Whether animals or humans, all want to maximize their own interests.

We care about our families in order to pass on our genes.

Under this view, morality and kindness might just be an illusion.

This forces us to confront a cold reality.

However, in recent decades, the situation has changed.

Psychologists and anthropologists have started to oppose this pessimistic view.

They have written many books emphasizing that humans are actually very good at cooperation.

We use language and intelligence to solve many difficult problems together.

Without cooperation, humans could not have built such complex societies.

This is just like the "Mutual Aid" theory proposed by Kropotkin a hundred years ago.

He believed that only through mutual help can species survive in dangerous environments.

But, this optimistic view is also only half true.

Latest research finds that humans can both cooperate and compete.

This depends entirely on the environment and opportunities we are in.

If cheating will not be discovered, many people will choose to lie for profit.

Just like in certain experiments, if no one is watching, people will take more money.

So, cooperation is often because we are afraid of being punished.

Although we cooperate, this doesn't represent that we are born "good people".

Finally, we must ask, since human nature is so complex, what should we do?

We cannot naively believe that everyone will consciously observe morality.

We need to establish good social rules and legal systems.

The function of these rules is to make cheating become more difficult.

At the same time, we want to create an environment that rewards fairness and punishes selfishness.

Education is also important, as it helps us see our own weaknesses clearly.

Only by admitting we have a selfish side can we better control it.

In conclusion, biology does indeed reveal the dark side of human nature.

But this does not mean our world is without hope.

What we need to do is build better systems to guide human nature.

Recognizing reality is our first step toward a beautiful future.

Thank you everyone for listening, see you in the next episode.