If you are listening to this podcast, chances are you're a human. And chances are at some point, at least once in your life, you've acted in complete and total disregard for yourself,

putting the needs of others above all else. But why? We often talk about evolution in terms of

competition and survival of the fittest. Why would someone give to charity or donate blood

or run into a burning building to save another? What evolutionary purpose does this selflessness serve?

And is there a biology of altruism?

I'm Jan 11, and this is The Joy of Why,

a podcast from Quantum Magazine,

where I take turns with my co-host, Steve Strogetz,

exploring some of the most exciting research

in math and science today.

In this episode, we're speaking to Stephanie Preston about the biological basis of altruism

and why you should care.

Stephanie's a professor of psychology and head of the ecological neuroscience lab at the

University of Michigan. She investigates the evolutionary reasons for emotion, empathy,

and decision-making across species. In 2002, she and famed primatologist Franz Duval authored a seminal

work on the empathy of animals. And in 2022, she authored a book titled The Altruistic Urge,

Why We're Driven to Help Others. Stephanie, it's so great to have you with us. Welcome.

Great. Thanks for having me. We're excited to talk about this topic. I think we're all probably

familiar with the notion of altruism on some level, but how do you define it as a scientist?

Yeah, I define it as aid to another at a current cost to yourself. And it's really important to include that

current cost because anything that's evolutionarily adaptive has some benefit in the long

run, whether you realize it or not. Now, do you distinguish altruism from selflessness,

...