Websites you really should be aware of

[Bealdwine]

...the way we have evolved neurologically basically predisposes us to economics flavors of capitalism. There is actually a fascinating sub discipline in the field regarding economics and neurology, as well as neurobiology and politics.

 

Even made a presentation for an philosophy of international relations politics course i took on why gender differences do have a measurable and deterministic outcome of politics, purely based on studies in neurobiolgy (you would be surprised at how foreign an idea this is to political disciplines). The class was 80% women, so you can imagine how that went down...

 

So greed is a phenotype that everyone has, and capitalism is a social and economic extension of that. Altruism is also a phenotype, but in a competitive environment such as today's modern society, greed usually trumps...

That is fascinating stuff Mad I must research some more in that field now. Basically I assume you mean here that "the way we have evolved [OR NOT] neurologically" because I assume much of human phenotypes hark back to our prehistoric origins. Economically/socially that is almost self-evident but I had not considered the political aspects - I suppose this might expalin our tendancy to create hierachical/pyramidal power structures even when we initially intend something more egalitarian. fascinating.

[MadWizard25]

Yes, you are spot on, as far as i know in any case. A lot of phenotypes will have come from evolutionary ancestors of ours, its pretty certain that group hierarchies, social grouping, and complex social interactions was pre-homo spaiens, maybe even pre-homo. "we" was a bit narrow in this case. And if you believe in materialism, then these phenotypes are a function of brain and body biology, which will bleed into politics. One could even argue that the "leader" phenotype will have some common biological basis, and these biological functions will have a massive impact on politics since many of our elected officials in the highest positions will be of the leadership phenotype.

 

There is also some debate about community and egalitarianism. Imo, it seems to work ok with people as long as everyone is on the same level materially. But as soon as unique material (or maybe non-material, perceived spiritual gain even?) gains are made by others the system falls apart. If greed is engineered out of the society then no or little issue. Once variables that induce greed appear, problems start. Have you ever seen the movie "the gods must be crazy"? Its an extreme and humorous example, but a single glass bottle almost breaks an egalitarianism society. Not read any journal articles on this exact stuff though, but i can infer from other research that something like this could/ may happen. Maybe the tendancy to develop power structures as you mentioned is an extension of this slow seepage of unique material positions per individual?

 

Also if anyones interested, here is a open source journal article on how traders and their steroid hormones may affect financial market swings, sometimes to quite a drastic extent.

 

From molecule to market: steroid hormones and financial risk-taking

 

Abstract

 

 

Little is known about the role of the endocrine system in financial decision-making. Here, we survey research on steroid hormones and their cognitive effects, and examine potential links to trader performance in the financial markets. Preliminary findings suggest that cortisol codes for risk and testosterone for reward. A key finding of this endocrine research is the different cognitive effects of acute versus chronic exposure to hormones: acutely elevated steroids may optimize performance on a range of tasks; but chronically elevated steroids may promote irrational risk-reward choices. We present a hypothesis suggesting that the irrational exuberance and pessimism observed during market bubbles and crashes may be mediated by steroid hormones. If hormones can exaggerate market moves, then perhaps the age and sex composition among traders and asset managers may affect the level of instability witnessed in the financial markets.

 

 

 

https://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1538/331.full

 

If this hypothesis is every validated, then expect some traders to undergo "hormone treatment" to gain an edge

[z929669]

@ MW25 and Beald (& All)

 

First, I think that you both would appreciate arguments laid out long ago by Hardin's (an ecologist) "Tragedy of the Commons".

 

As far as neuroscience and human behavior, I basically agree with all of these hypotheses. More simply put though, we are all victims of our biology, and if you are a rational-minded person and subscribe to the tennets of evolutionary theory, then you will recognize that neurology essentially governs all aspects of behavior and that we are a condensed reflection of our cummulative ancestral brain chemistry dating back to the ganglionic masses of jellyfish ;)

 

Competition for resources and the struggle to pass on one's traits to their grandchildren drives all life, and this, by way of the Medula Oblongata is the root of greed.

 

Animals will be animals after all, no matter where they exist on the food chain ...

[MadWizard25]

More simply put though, we are all victims of our biology, and if you are a rational-minded person and subscribe to the tennets of evolutionary theory, then you will recognize that neurology essentially governs all aspects of behavior and that we are a condensed reflection of our cummulative ancestral brain chemistry dating back to the ganglionic masses of jellyfish ;)

 

Well put

 

I prefer to think that my cummulative brain chemistry dates back to squids, with super fatty myelin sheaths on axons, you can have your jellyfish ancestry and suffer the slower consequences :hurr:

 

Shame that the Tragedy of Common is still considered a theory (although its one i believe in), and not a fact. Too bad there is not definitive way to prove it on a global scale. But then again, even if it was proved on such a scale, half the world would end up denying it anyways :><:

[z929669]

 

More simply put though, we are all victims of our biology, and if you are a rational-minded person and subscribe to the tennets of evolutionary theory, then you will recognize that neurology essentially governs all aspects of behavior and that we are a condensed reflection of our cummulative ancestral brain chemistry dating back to the ganglionic masses of jellyfish ;)

 

Well put

 

I prefer to think that my cummulative brain chemistry dates back to squids, with super fatty myelin sheaths on axons, you can have your jellyfish ancestry and suffer the slower consequences :hurr:

 

Ahh, but you choose then to insert yourself well near the top rung of the ladder, as your squid are an advanced lot among the Mollusca, especially regarding neurology and more specifically optics

 

No, even your squid are one long branch leading from the most basal of the true Metazoa