Abstract

ACOSTA GONZALEZ, Yoan Karell  and  MOREJON QUINTANA, Iran. Human Nature: Individualism or Cooperation? Capitalism or Socialism?. Estudios del Desarrollo Social [online]. 2023, vol.11, n.2  Epub Aug 01, 2023. ISSN 2308-0132.

This paper is an essay on human nature. A thorough bibliographical review was carried out, from the perspectives of evolutionary biology, philosophy, and psychology. Individualism and cooperation in both the animal kingdom and humans are analyzed. The construct presenting humans as individualistic beings by nature is criticized. It is concluded that, as biopsychosocial beings, in humans, values are built along the process of formation and development of personality. Humans are neither individualistic nor altruistic by nature. One tendency or the other in this regard results from a complex and individualized interaction of biological, environmental, social, and psychological factors during the formation and development of personality. Nevertheless, cooperation has been crucial for the human species to survive and develop both evolutionarily and socially. The philosophical construct presenting humans as individualistic beings by nature is an attempt to support the idea that capitalism is inevitable and insurmountable as a system. It is a fallacy that ignores the psychological theory about how personality is formed.

Keywords : human nature; personality; cooperation; individualism; capitalism.

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