Altruism

The Price Equation:

I am getting back to finishing up the Teacher's Guide for the AOK Virtues workbook.  It has been about a year since I last worked on it.  Just about the time of my burnout with AI.  I was hoping to only have to make small edits, but reading the text, I realize it is not there yet.

The concepts are still too dry, and do not have enough of a relational component.  That's what I get for relying to heavily on AI.  So now I am getting back into each of the virtues and what they can provide in terms of experience for both the teacher's self-reflection, and of course the students, on an individual level and as a group.  

It wasn't far into the edits when I already found myself needing to make major edits.  The word was Altruism.  It is interesting that Altruism, such a weighty and lofty concept, came out of the era of Positivism.  The word itself having been coined by french philosopher Auguste Comte.  It surprised me, since it seems like an ancient concept, but it originated out of the Darwin era, where sprituality and in some ways morality were under attack as we faced the era of "survival of the fittest."  In the era of Positivism, we needed a moral theory that would fit with this need to understand everything from a logical and scientific approach.  

Dictionary Definition of Positivism:
a philosophical system that holds that every rationally justifiable assertion can be scientifically verified or is capable of logical or mathematical proof, and that therefore rejects metaphysics and theism.

Even though I am a scientist, I am not a materialist.  I am also not a dualist.  I don't believe matter and spirit are completely separate, but inexplicable intertwined through the soul.  I believe there is a unified theory.  And therefore, I don't minimize science and math.  Rather, like the use of mathematical models of human behaviors, and so when looking into other areas that aligned with this stream of thought I came across the Price Equation.  

I remember reading the Foundation Trilogy when I was in highschool and being fascinated by the whole idea of a math that could describe human behavior.  In this book, Hari Seldon created a mathematical model to predict large model social behavior.  Using this model, he created a plan that would help save humanity. Of course, the model didn't account for those who didn't follow the algorhythm.  Ah, isn't it always true, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

The Price Equation (see image above) is the equation for altruism.  It is an interesting conversation starter for students and a powerful tool for action when paired with the idea of "paying it forward".  It outlines how a social group that includes altruistic actions, like Pay It Forward, can out perform a non-altruistic group.  He also mentions the dilemma of the Free-Rider.  This is the person who breaks the chain.  The one who accepts the kindness, but doesn't pay it forward.  This selfishness is just as contageous as the selflessness.  What an interesting additional element to include.  Definitely a concept for the Alphabet of Vices (coming soon).

Paying it Forward can be easily practiced, one of the variables I consider when choosing a virtue to study with a class.  In addition, there is the movie Pay It Forward, with child actor Haley Joel Osment, a 12 year old boy who starts a whole kindness movement through his own kind act.  This makes the entire concept relatable to young people.  

The truth is that we can never truly pay back all the kindness and good deeds we have been the recipient of in our lives, but we can pay it forward.  The pages below are from the AOK Alphabet of Virtues workbook.