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Annabelle Macneal

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Is altruism written in our DNA?

I remembered reading somewhere that our cells will sacrifice something like 70% of their water content to aid nearby injured cells. Can someone more scientifically versed in this subject expound further on this phenomenon?

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    Jean-Charles Longuet

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    Nov 18 2012: The purpose of our DNA is to survive, not only as an individual, but as a whole specie.

    So cooperation is a way to raise the survival expectancy as a whole : cells help each other at the biological level, but individuals can do it at the social level. One individual is usually not as efficient than several ones : lots of animals form groups more or less organized, for surviving purposes.

    Altruism is the manifestation that we are social animals and are wired for cooperation between individuals.
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    edward long 100+

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    Nov 18 2012: The Homo Sapiens species is unique among life on Earth in that it is made in the image of God. Love; joy; peace;longsuffering; gentleness goodness; faith; meekness; and temperance are the characteristics which demonstrate this God-like nature of humans. The first listed quality is love. Love is alrtuism in the flesh. Sacrificial devotion to doing whatever one is capable of toward achieving what is best for another is the definition of love. Yes, love is in our DNA. It is largely suppressed and its unfettered expression is rare, but it is within us all, even the worst of us.
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      Jedrek Stepien 10+

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      Nov 18 2012: I belive eveyone is capable of love but it needs to be fostered, otherwise it will never surface. Altruism therefore is something we are taught, it never happens out of itself.

  • george lockwood 20+

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    Nov 18 2012: I agree with Ed. There are too many possible examples to think otherwise. Try to discourage non-swimmers from jumping into the water to rescue a drowning person.

    • Ed Schulte 50+

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      Nov 18 2012: Yes

      Good example and my I add there are countless examples of humans ( Homo Sapian Sapians) meaning Aware of their existence therefore also aware ( be it semi-consciously) that the other person(s) is themselves - no-devision on the higher plains of conscious.

      This was Darwin's point when he said "survival of the fittest" it wasn't survival of the physically strongest....that standard mis-quotation that has been spread around for over a century ....it was referring to his observation that "survival" was strongest among groups that practiced Compassion.......this observation has been noted in all sciences ...so much so that when Time Magazine asked for submissions for "Man of the Century" scientists recommended Darwin because he identified what was so common to their research at the deepest level. But, politics being what it is they war not heard.

  • Ed Schulte 50+

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    Nov 18 2012: Yes
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