Abstract
A preference for fairness or equity in the distribution of resources influences many human decisions (1). The origin of this preference is a topic that has consumed philosophers (2), social scientists (3), and biologists (4) for centuries. However, although we feel a sense of fairness deeply and intuitively, it has so far been difficult to explain from first principles how such a feeling might have evolved. How could natural selection allow for the survival of “fair” individuals who sometimes give things away to equalize resources when they must compete with self-interested individuals who keep everything for themselves? In PNAS, Rand et al. (5) provide a unique and compelling solution to this puzzle: it’s all because of dumb luck.
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