Which came first: the individual or society?

Ursula asked:

Which came first, the individual or society?

Answer by Helier Robinson

This is basically the same question as which came first, the chicken or the egg? In evolutionary terms the egg came first because dinosaurs laid eggs and birds are descended from dinosaurs. Equally, individual humans are descended from primates which had societies, so society came first.

Helier Robinson is Emeritus Professor in Philosophy, University of Guelph. His books are available from http://SharebooksPublishing.com.