Egoistic motivations alone cannot sustain cooperation without plausible self-regulating structures
Evidence
By self-interest Man has become gregarious, but in instinct he has remained to a great extent solitary; hence the need of religion and morality to reinforce self-interest. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2471 (
#complicates, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Opening with cooperation is rational self-interest, not mere morality — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 544; Hobbesian sanctions produce egoistic macro-motivation to cooperate — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 194; Egoistic micro-motivation lacks momentum across cases of cooperation (+12 more)
Related
- Solitary instincts conflict with the gregarious self-interest required for society (similarity 0.84)
- Egoistic micro-motivation lacks momentum across cases of cooperation (similarity 0.83)
- Opening with cooperation is rational self-interest, not mere morality (similarity 0.82)
- Egoistic micro-motivation can sustain cooperation via self-interest without any general cooperative disposition. (similarity 0.81)
- Coercion and interests alone compel cooperation even without shared values (similarity 0.80)
- Cooperation requires self-regulation because its costs are immediate but its benefits are delayed (similarity 0.80)
- Cooperation has no single solution; motivations combine and overdetermine action (similarity 0.80)
- Pure moral commitment to cooperate is unstable without egoistic reinforcement (similarity 0.80)
- Hobbesian sanctions produce egoistic macro-motivation to cooperate (similarity 0.79)
- Fairness impulses must compete against natural selfish impulses via self-regulation (similarity 0.78)
Broader Connections
- Coercion and interests alone compel cooperation even without shared values
#corroborates(0.85) - Solitary instincts conflict with the gregarious self-interest required for society
#complicates(0.78) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2471