Elin Sild and Tuul Sepp are immune ecology researchers at the University of Tartu’s Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences. Elin Sild spent last two years as a post-doctoral researcher at Lund University. Tuul Sepp won an award for her popular science articles in the Estonian cultural weekly “Sirp” in 2014.
Terrorism acts often involve self-sacrifice, paradoxically linked to the fear of death. Image credit: Doug / Flickr Creative Commons.
Self-sacrifice for the benefit of others is a powerful symbol. This act is thought of as noble, endlessly auspicious – a supreme case of self-denial. A good indication of the immense power of this symbol is the fact that even now, 2,000 years later, Christmas, the day when Christ was born, is celebrated massively in so many places. Christ’s most impactful act was definitely the salvation of humankind: sacrificing himself so that others could be saved.
Could self-sacrifice also be biologically rational? Could it paradoxically bring profit to the one sacrificing? How is it even possible that the evolutionary process has developed a disposition of such kind?
Recognizing one’s mortality
If we want to study the psychological and biological mechanisms that lead to self-sacrifice, then the term itself must be explained first. The self-sacrifice of a person has been defined as the willingness to accept losses so that personal principles and values could be maintained.[ref]De Cremer, D., van Knippenberg, D. 2004. Leader self-sacrifice and leadership effectiveness: The moderating role of leader self-confidence. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 95:140–155.[/ref] As self-sacrifice has been spotted in other species, too, not exclusively in humans, the definition must probably be expanded, so all kinds of actions that seriously harm the actor while (presumably, at least) others capitalize on it can be included.
Jesus dies on the cross to redeem humankind. A schoolboy goes to war to protect his homeland. Kamikazes, the Japanese daredevils, crash their planes into American military objects in World War II. In Lebanon, terrorists blow themselves up in crowded places, as well as in Sri Lanka, Israel, Iraq, and, increasingly, in Western countries as well. Although all these deeds have different levels of violence, as well as (depending on the cultural background) different ethical standards, the inner motivating mechanisms are probably quite similar. In the name of an immortal idea or value, an individual is ready for the ultimate sacrifice – to give up his or her life. Continue reading →
