For compassionate and thoughtful interventions against the horrors of suffering in the near and distant future

Evolutionary Anthropology

by Ruth Seleo

Evolutionary Anthropology & Prosocial System Design

Our newest field of research is a scope expansion of our Compassionate Genomics projects with an Evolutionary Anthropology angle on on pro-social system design, that led us to the question:  

How can a prosocial culture & social system be developed and established, that reduces and prevents suffering for all sentient beings?

The project investigates effective strategies to make those systems:

    • Economically viable to be attractive to implement largely independent of political partisanship
    • Resilient against corruption and conflict, and advantageous over exploitative, exclusionary, or hostile systems (e.g. through optimising institutional decision-making, safeguarding democracy)
    • Evolutionarily self-reinforcing

Related questions:

  • What combination of traits are needed for that society to function?
  • How can these traits be cultivated and maintained to the necessary degree? (e.g. through education, public health, economic and regulatory incentives, and compassionate genomics)

Given the long-term orientation of both projects, AGI development contexts will need to be considered throughout.

Relevant Resources & Further Information

 

EFFECTIVE THESIS × CFI

We're now collaborating with Effective Thesis on this project.

To become part of the upcoming fellowship cohort:

APPLY HERE

This page was first published on 20 Apr 2026.