Proximate and ultimate causes of punishment and strong reciprocity

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Behavioral and Brain Sciences 35 (1):16 (2012)
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Abstract

While admirable, Guala's discussion of reciprocity suffers from a confusion between proximate causes (psychological mechanisms triggering behaviour) and ultimate causes (evolved function of those psychological mechanisms). Because much work on commits this error, I clarify the difference between proximate and ultimate causes of cooperation and punishment. I also caution against hasty rejections of of experimental evidence

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10.1017/s0140525x11001154

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Francesco Guala
Università degli Studi di Milano

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The Selfish Gene. [REVIEW]Gunther S. Stent & Richard Dawkins - 1977 - Hastings Center Report 7 (6):33.

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