That's very very cool. It indicates that a lot of the sociobiology models bear out -- and also, that the development of altruism or selfish behavior can be almost random.
What it does *not* prove, and I think this is important, is whether or not altruism is a "gene" or a "meme." Those robots can't exactly learn from each other like human children learn from their parents. Like most grad students in evodevo, I'll say "It's both!" An unsatisfying answer. But! A least the models are reproducible in silico!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-21 09:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-21 10:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-22 02:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-22 02:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-22 04:52 am (UTC)What it does *not* prove, and I think this is important, is whether or not altruism is a "gene" or a "meme." Those robots can't exactly learn from each other like human children learn from their parents. Like most grad students in evodevo, I'll say "It's both!" An unsatisfying answer. But! A least the models are reproducible in silico!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-22 08:34 am (UTC)Robotvoice"I did not eat the people, I do not know where they are. Maybe it was lions."/Robotvoice