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Nature 456, 579 (4 December 2008) | doi:10.1038/456579a; Published online 3 December 2008

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Generosity: A winner's advice

Martin A. Nowak1

  1. Martin A. Nowak is professor of mathematics and biology at Harvard University and director of the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, 1 Brattle Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. He is the author of Evolutionary Dynamics.
    Email: nowak@fas.harvard.edu

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Mathematical models can reveal how prosocial human behaviour — and even social intelligence and language — have evolved, argues Martin A. Nowak.

One day while I was still at Oxford, Bob May gave me some advice: "You never lose for being too generous". I was impressed because Bob is a winner.

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