Your "Free" Will is Not Free

[Mnementh]

ArnoldRimmer said:

Mnementh said:

That's proven wrong. Eonomists have condensed the formula 'humans make decisions based on what prfits them most' into the model of the homo oeconomicus. Experimental psychologists have set up experiments to prove the model - and showed that actual humans often decide against their profit. Hmans are far more comlex in their decisions, maximizing profit is one possibility, but altruism is also part of human nature.

The homo oeconomicus model is flawed for several reasons (like every homo oeconomicus being perfectly informed etc.), but I don't consider things like altruism real flaws to that model. In my opinion, the "profit" of altruistic behaviour simply isn't as obvious, but in the end altruism is still "egoistic".

I agree that are more flaws on the model. But you are not right on altruism. There are cases, in which altruism benefits you personally long time. But in other cases, you clearly get no personal benefit. It is explainable with evolution, there are evolutionary benefits of such behaviour. But the model of homo oeconomicus is based on PERSONAL profit and I think if the OP talks about maximizing profit he also means personal profit. Humans do things, that are not so. Sometimes people even willingly die for others. But also less extreme cases of true altruism (not long term egoism).