Why We're Nice

For groups to function well, there needs to be a certain level of unselfishness among its members. This hour, we’ll talk about how humans developed concern for the welfare of others – and about the potential downsides of selflessness – with David Sloan Wilson, president of the Evolution Institute and SUNY distinguished professor of biology and anthropology at Binghampton University. His new book is Does Altruism Exist?: Culture, Genes, and the Welfare of Others (Yale University Press).