25 Why do we cooperate if we are naturally wired for selfishness?

Lifelong Learning With A. A. Khatana · Oct 1, 2026 · 21m

We live in a world where we praise selfless acts, yet a deep philosophical tradition suggests that pure altruism is actually impossible. We are constantly balancing our own survival instincts against the shared rules that keep our communities from falling into chaos.In this episode, we examine the political and moral philosophy of Thomas Hobbes. We dive into his monistic theory of human motivation, which claims that even our most noble acts—like saving a drowning child—are ultimately driven by a desire to avoid guilt or gain personal satisfaction. We then trace how this view of human nature…