We May Be Born With an Urge to Help

NICHOLAS WADE

Published: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 4:16 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 4:16 a.m.

What is the essence of human nature? Flawed, say many theologians. Vicious and addicted to warfare, wrote Hobbes. Selfish and in need of considerable improvement, think many parents.

But biologists are beginning to form a generally sunnier view of humankind. Their conclusions are derived in part from testing very young children, and partly from comparing human children with those of chimpanzees, hoping that the differences will point to what is distinctively human.