Non-adaptive altruistic behavior in our current global environment could in principle be an expression of an evolved, indiscriminate altruistic tendency—an adaptation that is largely no longer adaptive, and so would amount to a kind of ‘misfiring’ of formerly adaptive instincts (Dawkins 2006, 220–21; Kitcher 2006b).
It would be in this way on a par with our taste for fatty foods—originally evolved for its adaptive effects though it is no longer beneficial in today's fast food economy—though in the case of altruism the ‘misfiring’ has happier results. Of course, it's also possible (as discussed in the section 2.4) that your altruistic tendency isn't itself an adaptation at all, but is instead rooted in values that you've developed, through moral reflection in your cultural context, independently of specific evolutionary influences. Or it may be some combination of the two
It would be in this way on a par with our taste for fatty foods—originally evolved for its adaptive effects though it is no longer beneficial in today's fast food economy—though in the case of altruism the ‘misfiring’ has happier results. Of course, it's also possible (as discussed in the section 2.4) that your altruistic tendency isn't itself an adaptation at all, but is instead rooted in values that you've developed, through moral reflection in your cultural context, independently of specific evolutionary influences. Or it may be some combination of the two
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