Why did we evolve to be altruistic? Why did we evolve to value a society of equals? How did we become capable of culture? For the first time promising clues to these puzzles are emerging from an unexpected field -- computer science. Delicate living systems and bulky computers, according to a growing body of research, are both information systems engaged in the storage, transmission, and processing of information. This shared characteristic of life systems and our information technology devices gives us an opportunity to study human evolution using concepts from computer science. Such analysis points to the existence of an important 'invisible' adaptation in human beings. This 'invisible' adaptation is the reason we evolved to be cultural beings, who are altruistic, who value equality, and our aging elders. www.altruism-evolution.com
