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From: lkk@teddy.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Explorations of "social-interest": Origins of Human Society
Message-ID: <858@teddy.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 2-Jul-85 13:27:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: teddy.858
Posted: Tue Jul  2 13:27:48 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 04:17:18 EDT
References: <373@spar.UUCP> <2380067@acf4.UUCP>
Reply-To: lkk@teddy.UUCP (Larry K. Kolodney)
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 24
Summary: 

In article <2380067@acf4.UUCP> mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) writes:
>>/* theory / baba@spar.UUCP (Baba ROM DOS) / 12:02 pm  Jun 28, 1985 */
>
>>Can you cite a single instance of a lasting human society (not a club 
>>or other special-interest organization) being formed by the rational 
>>agreement of otherwise atomic human beings?
>
>I suppose that the beginnings of society were formed out of a common 
>interest of men.  But even if they weren't, it seems clear that at
>least in modern times society continues to evolve because men seek to
>better their condition thru mutual cooperation.

Consider how many men (or women) actually make conscious decisions 
about the future of society.  Most people are born into a society, and
live by its rules as the default behavior.  Societies seem to change
in ways which can't be predicted by  using only rational self-interest as a
motivating force.

-- 

Sport Death,
Larry Kolodney
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