论契约的由来

On the Origin of Contract

契约现象在人类社会广泛存在,但契约的来源尚未得以深究。对契约由来的探讨需借鉴进化生物学、进化心理学诸学科的研究成果。漫长的狩猎采集社会为人类契约心理的塑造及契约的产生提供了基础。在亲缘利他行为模式之外,面临生存资源短缺的压力,人类演化出互惠利他行为模式,同时发展了为之提供操作程序的契约算法,其中包括专门的欺骗者探知机制。契约算法内在化于人类心理结构,维系着契约的正当缔结与履行,不随种族、文化等因素差异而有所不同。从超越家族走向社会合作的视角观之,从"家族到契约"的演化比"从身份到契约"的运动具有更为普遍的意义。人类契约由来的"缺环"可得以弥补,契约社会亦可籍此得以构建。

There have extensive phenomena of contracts within human society; however, the origin of contracts has not yet been fully explored which needs to learn from other disciplines such as evolutionary biology and evolutionary psychology. The long-lasting hunter-gatherer society had laid foundation for evolution of psychology of human contract and its origin. In addition to the kinship altruism, the human reciprocal altruism has been evolved in handling the scarcity of living resources, together with the contract algorithms which include a specialized cheater detection mechanism. The algorithms have been inherited in human cognitive structure and they remain unchanged in people from different cultures or ethnic background. From perspective of social exchange or cooperation which goes beyond families, the evolution ＂from family to contract＂ may have more value than the movement ＂from status to contract＂. The missing-link can thus be made up and the contract-based society could therefore be established.