ASEBL Journal – Volume 10 Issue 1, January 2014
is evident in Darwin and Trivers (the latter of whom suggests [1971] there is
“’moralistic aggression’”) (166). If the cheater is quiet there is no expression of the
selfish gene, so that behavior is not (genetically) passed on (200). In his favor and to
his credit, Boehm is optimistic and not cynical.
But the egoistic gene/behavior (tendency) does not disappear; in fact, we are probably
more prone to selfish behavior and hence the altruistic preaching. Altruists are
universally compensated in some way, and yet after many thousands of generations
we still see cheaters, deceivers, free-riders, and other forms of selfish behavior quite
often (to say nothing of what lurks beneath the surface). Mark Van Vugt and Paul Van
Lange (psychologists, “The Altruism Puzzle” in Evolution and Social Psychology)
like others have made the claim that we evolved cheater detection methods to benefit
the group, but such deception-finding is merely a mirror of one’s selfishness and is
like theory of mind – i.e., these mental calculations are enormously advantageous to
the individual. The logic is as follows: because we are self-interested we therefore
know to doubt (indeed to question) the trustworthiness of another, especially if there
is an outward sign of dishonesty. Boehm’s group model (like Robert Boyd and Peter
Richerson’s) might represent a conformist tendency dating only to the emergence of
big-game hunter bands and not necessarily explain the deeper origins of moral
emotions. Outside of the group an individual would seek to conserve what little he has
(to gain) for himself and his immediate family; but within a large group the individual
could attempt to exploit (profit by sharing).
To some extent we need aggressive genes to keep us alive and going: in theory, the
aggressive gene was modulated and never disappeared (310). Key to Boehm’s thesis
is that over time group suppression of cheating has raised the level of conscience to a
level where moderately potential cheaters are kept in control (201). But for the most
part, is this not (via GW&