Reader Reading Mode

Are humans cooperative or competitive in the state of nature? Philosophical and empirical angles.

Read the conversation like a document and switch branches only when needed.

Browse

Conversation Outline

Jump to another point in the conversation.

Current node Origin

Are humans cooperative or competitive in the state of nature? Philosophical and empirical angles.

Choose a path from here

This point splits the conversation. Pick the direction you want to read next.

Answer Read next

The Human Paradox: War or Welfare?

This path eventually reaches The Looming Synthesis: Why It Was Never Just One Thing.

Question Read next

Is this question better answered as a philosophical or empirical one?

This path eventually reaches The Map and the Territory: Why Philosophy and Science Need Each Other.

Pro / Supporting Point Read next

The Survival of the Friendliest: Why Cooperation Is Our Biological Blueprint

Imagine a lone human on the prehistoric savanna. Without claws, sharp teeth, or thick fur, a solitary human is little more than a slowmoving

Con / Counterpoint Read next

The Myth of the Noble Savage: Why Competition Drives Human Nature

If you were left in a forest with nothing but your wits, would your first instinct be to find a partner to share with, or a weapon to defend

Related Ideas Read next

Beyond the State of Nature

If we look past the ancient debate of whether humans are "naturally" good or bad, we find ourselves at the edge of a more thrilling question

Pro / Supporting Point Read next

The Architecture of Altruism: Why Humans are Born to Cooperate

If you were dropped alone into a deep forest, your survival would be measured in days. Unlike a tiger or a bear, a solitary human is one of

Con / Counterpoint Read next

The Illusion of the Noble Savage: Why Competition Rules the Wild

If humans were truly cooperative by nature, why do we lock our doors at night? The optimistic belief that humans are naturally peaceful "nob