
The evolution of generosity: Welcome, stranger - mblakele
http://www.economist.com/node/21524698
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yourkin
My hunch is that environmental harshness plays a crucial role in the
development of 'trust to strangers', both being widely variable. Sharing
resources shows there could be more from that source and the receiver could go
to great lengths to strip the giver of his possessions if it is less
investment than to try to aquire them by other means, thus working against
trustfulness and making ultra-selfishness a better stable strategy in certain
conditions. It is undeniable that cunning and deceit evolved alongside
cooperation, if not preceding it. Even a little difference in initial
conditions could be significant. It's not apparent that the simulation
accounts for that.

