ElI5 Why do humans feel pity for creatures weaker than them?

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When an animal sees a creature weaker than itself, it’ll take it as an oppurtunity to kill and eat said creature. However, when a human sees a creature weaker than itself, like lets say, a small animal dying of heatstroke on the road during a hot summer day, the human will often help the creature, despite having no benefit in doing so. Why is this? For literally every animal except herbivores, the natural instinct would push you to kill and consume said creature without a second thought, why are humans different? O**bviously I know this isn’t universally applicable**, hunters enjoy killing creatures that are defenseless, but MOST people, from my experience atleast, don’t feel any bloodlust or hunger or any instinctual push to kill when confronted with a weak creature that is struggling, but rather compassion.

In: Biology

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Anonymous 0 Comments

As many are saying, we are a social species. You help out the weak in your tribe because one day you will catch the flu, or malaria, or dengue or a kidney stone etc., and then they will take care of you. Also because if they survive and get better then they can forage food or hunt food to feed the tribe. Everyone wins. This is our super power.

This compassion habit can extend over to other species in many (but not all) of us.

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