Brain Activity Scan detects Altruism

[CmdrBretz]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/22/brain.altruism.reut/

They are going to test children next to see what helps foster such brain activity.

[intellectualammo]

From the article:

His team asked the students how altruistic they were, and found the test strongly correlated with their own reports of unselfish activity, such as helping a stranger or comforting a friend.

How can they say that helping a stranger or comforting a friend is "unselfish activity"? I can definately do both of those activities, and still be selfish...sounds like a false dichotomy here..."help"=altruism..."not help"=selfishness...because they've dropped all contexts!

Edited January 22, 2007 by intellectualammo

[Ifat Glassman]

I don't know Bretz, this whole "research" sounds like a party of undefined terms and observations of brain activity which they only guess that it means altruism. It really sounds unestablished and undefined.

[CmdrBretz]

In no way do I hold this as good science. I found it laughable at best. I posted it because I dislike the underlying intent and tone of the article.

[DarkWaters]

I found this quote from the BBC News report to be amusing.

He added: "If you can educate from an early stage to be more altruistic that would be good for the community, and if you could also show that had an impact on brain development that would be very interesting."

We can start counting down the days until someone in the European Union proposes legislation to genetically engineer a generation of "altruistic" beings. Another quote:

"Altruism is usually reciprocal - you do something for someone and you expect something back ultimately.

Almost like acts of kindness are not indiscriminate but done out of rational self interest!