‘Altruistic’ brain region found
I came across a couple of interesting articles on the BBC website and in the Guardian newspaper yesterday. Neuroscientists are saying that they have found the brain’s charity spot: a region that determines whether we put others before ourselves.
I’d be interested in people’s thoughts, so why not have a read and then post any comments below?
BBC Article | Guardian Article
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:00 pm
[…] The BBC The Guardian and others (here, here, here) have written about research at Duke Medical Centre which suggests researchers have found the part of the brain responsible for altruism. I just want to digest this with two things in mind: other ways to understand the research and why these things might mean charities and non profit groups are brilliantly equipped to make best use of the social web…. […]
January 24th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
hey there!
actually we are going to put out our material for the book club online soon if you guys want to use it for soul cravings in the future. Keep your eyes on the website by this weekend (www.mosaic.org).
blessings!
Eric
January 24th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Thanks Eric. We’re going to be using Soul Cravings as the basis for conversations throughout the month of February, so that’ll be really useful. Thanks!
January 24th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
The BBC article quotes one of the researchers… “If you can educate from an early stage to be more altruistic that would be good for the community.” I’m sure that’s what my parents did from a Christian perspective, and what I hope to do with my own children.
January 24th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Yeah, that was interesting. I think that there is evidence that education makes a difference in the way that different cultures seem to have this more than others. Here’s to creating a culture in our homes, families, communities, etc that develop altruistic people.
January 24th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
These articles are hopeful to me. They seem to say that a person can actually be altruistic, and that charity is not just a different form of selfishness (looking for the good feelings). I think that is a big piece of Christian teaching: being tuned into the needs and actions of others. I first read the LiveScience.com version of the story http://www.livescience.com/healthday/601147.html
I like when we do things of no evolutionary value.