You'd probably be interested in the research of Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber on this very point: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/arts/people-argue-just-to-win

You'd probably be interested in the research of Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber on this very point: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/arts/people-argue-just-to-win-scholars-assert.html http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/arts/people-argue-just-to-... People Argue Just to Win, Scholars Assert - The New York Times