The Mathematics of Altruism

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How a simple mathematic formula is starting to explain the bizarre prevalence of altruism in society-- Physorg.com

This is a question that has puzzled academics for centuries, especially since in evolution the basis for the "survival of the fittest" is, after all, selfishness. But in an article just published in the journal Nature, three Portuguese theoretical physicists develop a mathematical model capable of providing a way out from this conundrum through the introduction of social diversity - a ubiquitous characteristic of modern social networks - and suggesting that that the act of cooperation is dependent on one's social context/ranking.

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This page contains a single entry by webmaster published on July 18, 2008 6:56 PM.

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