Clair+Kang

Clair Kang Block A

The article says that all social animals, including humans, have genetic disposition to help others, especially their relations (like family), because of their gene-protecting nature. We are motivated and driven by the desire to follow our nature of protecting our own genes. It is our nature to do “self-less behavior” because of our addiction to the neurological drugs that are released in our brain from the rush we get by helping or protecting others.
 * 1. Are we, as some might say, motivated by a desire to save our off-spring?**

I believe that the motivation to do good is driven by expectations of some kind of intrinsic awards. When somebody does what they think is a “self-less act”, they are actually being selfish. They help others because it makes them feel good intrinsically. They expect reciprocation (some kinds of rewards in return) that make them feel good. Or they want to avoid the natural feeling of guiltiness. Or they do good deeds for self-esteem or self-satisfaction, or for any other reason that eventually comes back to acquiring reward of satisfaction of the benefactor.
 * 2. Must there always be some sort of intrinsic reward for doing good?**

I would still do good if it satisfies myself, but probably very rarely. I would certainly do less right things if nobody was watching. I think that one of the big factors that motivate people to do good is social reputation. They want to look like a “good” person. So if that factor is taken out of the picture, I think it is only natural that people do less good deeds.
 * 3. Mr. Otis once said, "That having integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching." If this is so, and no one knows when we have done good, would you still do good?**

Delayed reciprocal altruism makes perfect sense. People help others knowing that it is very likely that help will be returned in the future. Friendship builds because one person is loyal to the other and expects the same in return. But it is only expectations, and therefore can be considered as gamble. It could be that no help or loyalty is returned even when one did good deeds. That’s why it can be considered that we are making investments when we are doing good deeds for others. Sometimes, no rewards are returned except maybe self-satisfaction, self-esteem, or feeling of power. But in anyway, people still usually do good in expectation of same thing return.
 * 4. "Delayed reciprocal altruism", seems like a gamble - back to game theory, any way. Does this seem to make sense to you. That is that we act out of a desire to have what we have done being done to us?**

We are not really being selfless when we are committing an act of altruism. When we do “selfless acts”, we are driven by desire for whatever makes us feel good, whether it is for self-satisfaction, delayed reciprocal altruism, social reputation, avoid guilt, rewards, or feeling of power. It always comes back to the desire of the “benefactor”.
 * 5. Are we ever being truly "selfless" when committing an act of altruism?**