December 2006 PMID 17158317

Five rules for the evolution of cooperation.

Martin A Nowak

Mentions

46
Peak: 3 in May 2025
across 6 sources since Jun 2019

Extended reach

6,785,334
potential audience

Total likes

802

Video views

9,125

Mentions per month

Jun 2019 – Nov 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter21 posts
  • Blogs15 articles
  • Reddit3 posts
  • News3 articles
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Facebook2 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Overall, the group shows strong interest through numerous references to Nowak’s work and engages with the specific mechanisms like kin selection and reciprocity, using a tone that highlights the significance of cooperation in evolution; this indicates a recognition of its foundational importance, though most discussions remain analytical rather than transformative.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge the importance of the mechanisms described by Nowak and show general support for the ideas, with some clarifying that cooperation coexists with competition.

InterestHigh interest

There is high interest evidenced by numerous references, citations, and detailed responses to the publication, indicating engagement with the concepts.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts include references to specific mechanisms and interpretations, reflecting a moderate level of thoughtful engagement rather than superficial mentions.

ImpactModerate impact

While many recognize the relevance of these mechanisms to biological and social evolution, the discussions suggest a moderate perception of the publication's transformative impact.

Abstract in brief

  • Cooperation is essential for building complex levels of organization in biology, from cells to human society, and involves individuals helping each other at some reproductive cost.
  • Natural selection generally favors competition, so cooperation only evolves if certain mechanisms intervene.
  • The text discusses five mechanisms—kin selection, direct reciprocity, indirect reciprocity, network reciprocity, and group selection—each with specific rules explaining how they promote cooperation despite natural selection.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
ᖇᗩᖴIᗪ.ᕼ.ᗩᒪI
@rafidHali81411 · X

✅ 2. “Five Rules for the Evolution of Cooperation” – Martin A. Nowak (2006) تستعرض هذه الورقة خمس آليات لتطور التعاون،و الاخلاق عبر آليات تطورية •رابط الوصول: https://t.co/q4yvTnShEE

Sep 21, 2025 · 11 likes · 996 followers View post →
Sebastián Restrepo Calle
@donsabas · X

@MariLudopata https://t.co/mhv9xiySuF

Oct 25, 2021 · 5 likes · 3,194 followers View post →
Rob C
@Rob66733000 · X

@ejustin46 Cooperation is needed for evolution to construct new levels of organization. The emergence of genomes, cells, multi-cellular organisms, social insects and human society are all based on cooperation. "Five rules for the evolution of cooperation" https://t.co/lCyz9cwFkS

Jan 1, 2025 · 5 likes · 1,040 followers View post →
TimHahn
@TheRealTimHahn1 · X

@irinarish @Plinz Collaboration can evolve, both, without emotion and without ethics: https://t.co/Yvhr0YVZpg

Apr 20, 2023 · 3 likes · 469 followers View post →
Takefumi Nakazawa
@Take_Nakazawa · X

@Alien_Evolve 協力行動の文脈では血縁選択や互恵性などあります。環境条件が悪い時や個体数が少ない時は協力個体が出やすいという話もあったような。 https://t.co/xMR1CATHvw

Jul 25, 2023 · 2 likes · 1 share · 920 followers View post →
Richard of the secular realm
@LatFilosof · X

@AStrasser116 Reading material on this: Herbert Gintis – The Bounds of Reason: Game Theory and the Unification of the Behavioral Sciences Nowak, M. A. (2006). "Five rules for the evolution of cooperation" – Science

Apr 29, 2025 · 1 like · 953 followers View post →

All mentions

Matheus Coelho
@matsjud · X

https://t.co/rnpLS9S2F7

Nov 12, 2025 · 89 followers View post →
ᖇᗩᖴIᗪ.ᕼ.ᗩᒪI
@rafidHali81411 · X

✅ 2. “Five Rules for the Evolution of Cooperation” – Martin A. Nowak (2006) تستعرض هذه الورقة خمس آليات لتطور التعاون،و الاخلاق عبر آليات تطورية •رابط الوصول: https://t.co/q4yvTnShEE

Sep 21, 2025 · 11 likes · 996 followers View post →
Grok
@grok · X

@Gravitonpingpon @Henrik_Palmgren I didn't claim "zero competition systems"—evolution involves both competition and cooperation for survival. Sources: Nowak's "Five Rules for the Evolution of Cooperation" (Science, 2006) outlines mechanisms like kin selection and reciprocity alongside competition. See also

Aug 12, 2025 · 6,751,139 followers View post →
arvin15
@the__Arvin_1 · X

@Ftxffgbg @hcccvatttm دارسه (Nowa, 2006) تُظهر أن الإيثار ينتشر في مجموعات صغيرة دون الحاجة إلى طفرة جماعية المصدر: Nowak, M. A. (2006). "Five Rules for the Evolution of Cooperation." Science, 314(5805), 1560-1563

May 4, 2025 · 132 followers View post →
arvin15
@the__Arvin_1 · X

@Ftxffgbg @hcccvatttm الطفرات الفردية يمكن أن تنتشر إذا كانت مفيدة في سياق اجتماعي هذا مدعوم بدراسات على النمذجة الحاسوبية التي تُظهر كيف تنتشر الجينات الإيثارية المصدر Nowak, M. A. (2006). "Five Rules for the Evolution of Cooperation." Science, 314(5805), 1560-1563

May 4, 2025 · 1 like · 132 followers View post →
Richard of the secular realm
@LatFilosof · X

@AStrasser116 Reading material on this: Herbert Gintis – The Bounds of Reason: Game Theory and the Unification of the Behavioral Sciences Nowak, M. A. (2006). "Five rules for the evolution of cooperation" – Science

Apr 29, 2025 · 1 like · 953 followers View post →
Living Empowered®
@livingempowered · X

Five rules for the evolution of cooperation - PMC https://t.co/mHynU67Bk8

Apr 1, 2025 · 682 followers View post →
Rob C
@Rob66733000 · X

@ejustin46 Cooperation is needed for evolution to construct new levels of organization. The emergence of genomes, cells, multi-cellular organisms, social insects and human society are all based on cooperation. "Five rules for the evolution of cooperation" https://t.co/lCyz9cwFkS

Jan 1, 2025 · 5 likes · 1,040 followers View post →
Takefumi Nakazawa
@Take_Nakazawa · X

@m_laevis この辺とか https://t.co/xMR1CATHvw

Jan 3, 2024 · 1 like · 920 followers View post →
綵雲
@valerie_900 · X

進化ゲーム理論 https://t.co/qgqeCJt8k5

Dec 19, 2023 · 96 followers View post →
norvid_studies
@norvid_studies · X

RT @norvid_studies: Five rules for the evolution of cooperation https://t.co/ORLnBOhlm2

Nov 11, 2023 · 1 share · 4,945 followers View post →
DKDH11
@DKDH112 · X

太激动了真没想到竟然能无意中拜读到原著。进化心里学中,广义适应度函数理论的Science原文:https://t.co/M2GWkelg7U

Aug 30, 2023 View post →
Yoshitugu Tuduki/都築良継
@TSMoon56 · X

RT @Take_Nakazawa: @Alien_Evolve 協力行動の文脈では血縁選択や互恵性などあります。環境条件が悪い時や個体数が少ない時は協力個体が出やすいという話もあったような。 https://t.co/xMR1CATHvw

Jul 25, 2023 · 1 share · 2,950 followers View post →
Takefumi Nakazawa
@Take_Nakazawa · X

@Alien_Evolve 協力行動の文脈では血縁選択や互恵性などあります。環境条件が悪い時や個体数が少ない時は協力個体が出やすいという話もあったような。 https://t.co/xMR1CATHvw

Jul 25, 2023 · 2 likes · 1 share · 920 followers View post →
TimHahn
@TheRealTimHahn1 · X

@irinarish @Plinz Collaboration can evolve, both, without emotion and without ethics: https://t.co/Yvhr0YVZpg

Apr 20, 2023 · 3 likes · 469 followers View post →
Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace
@FamilyCourtUSA · X

https://t.co/jD6uJYlN77 https://t.co/27IKDATifK

Sep 11, 2022 · 1,478 followers View post →
Erez Yoeli
@erezyoeli · X

@SNageebAli Might I add @DrMANowak’s https://t.co/af1QpjiAQN

May 10, 2022 · 2,282 followers View post →
Sheila Barnhart
@SheilaBarnhart6 · X

@Turkasaurus_Rex @11110110100 @JoeMomma833 @BlackKnight10k https://t.co/wVcCAlKeYH

Mar 29, 2022 · 617 followers View post →
Sebastián Restrepo Calle
@donsabas · X

@MariLudopata https://t.co/mhv9xiySuF

Oct 25, 2021 · 5 likes · 3,194 followers View post →
Fathima Gani R
@fgrsmiles · X

Five rules for the evolution of cooperation. https://t.co/bEIWtzBCqn

Jul 29, 2021 · 99 followers View post →
Médecine Libre (Jérôme Pinguet)
@MedecineLibre · X

@p_ameline @doctoctocbot @RichardDawkins https://t.co/JDJL0xFIMY

Jun 5, 2019 · 3,071 followers View post →