Competition seems to arise when there is perceived scarcity, both in nature and society.

Maybe nature wouldn't have evoluted predators if there had always been abundance of vegetable food. But I guess that because life is ever-expanding, it eventually hit the limits of space on this planet. ;-)

However, in an ideal world, there would only be cooperation, because competition is a waste of resources after all. If BMW and Mercedes both brood over their new engine technology in secret, many wheels are being invented twice. Ideally, these resources would better have been invested into other areas to bring humanity forward.

I'm aware history seems to show that it's competition that is more successful in bringing forward our social and technological development. But I believe that's because of human weakness. It seems we need pressure and kicks in the butt to make the best out of us.

But then again, technology seems to hinder our spiritual development. And it's first and foremost our spiritual development that can help us in overcoming exactly those mentioned human weaknesses.

The more we are forced to compete, the more we are limited in our beliefs, the more we are forced to battle for ground in already existing realms. But as spiritual and imaginative beings, we should always and easily be able to create new realms that we can nourish, cultivate and grow.

Cooperation is good at times, but without competition there is not much reason to do anything, but then without cooperation we can't do anything. Basically cooperation gets things done, but competition is incentive.

To estimate each case on its own meaning and benefit.

There are cases when the cooperation not only help, but also encourages (one or more individuals or a group supports, advices, improves motivation, contributes on preparation for competition) and cases when the competition not only encourages (by the anticipation and/or results of performance, even if isn't indispensable a triumph), but also helps and motivates for toward evolving.

If competition is associated with cooperation for fairplay from both the competitors and manifestation of reciprocal valuing, these grow the satistaction and selfvaluing and ofers a higher basis for the following activity. A better competitor than you is the best teacher.

The cooperation in a team or group don't exclude the competition within a members. Only it may be open, goodwillingly and fairplay from each. This is the way for growing the performance of each member and of whole group.

There is a particular case of the competition with yourself, maybe the mostly precious: to surpass oneself on some good performance and to vanquish oneself. It isn't easy, but is possible with vouchsafeness without culpabilization and by cooperating witb subconsciousness for descover and eliminate the blocking fears and beliefs, for improve the selfesteem and selfconfidence. Such, both competition and cooperation are constituents of personal development.

it may depend on where we believe we are going,
current (relative) theory of evolution seems to believe in survival of the fittest, therefore competition is in.
however, if we ponder to where or what are we evolving to we may imagine to the apex of the divine plan, then cooperation is in

Yes i agree, cooperation gets things done, competition is incentive ...

i would like to add that the spirit of cooperation creates feelings of harmony and comfort within the group, and reduces tensions ... this can be very useful for integrating emotionally disturbed people into society ... and here i'm talking not only of cooperation between humans but also of humans with animals and perhaps the whole of nature.

Competition can be constructive, it encourages us to use our creative imagination and delve deep within to find new solutions.

Competition encourages people to improve themselves.

Ok, competition also leads to steroid use, obsession, injury, etc. There are better ways to improve yourself such as meditation, or vision questing. Competition feeds heroic societies and their overfed expectations of greatness. Take my advice, don't try and live up to that heroic vision. Find your personal vision instead.

Cooperation helps people achieve more than they could do on their own.

Actually, having agency is the only thing that ever gets anything done. Every wealthy person that says they got rich off of hard work, ask them whose hard work? Really people don't get rich by being nice, cooperative people.

I'd like to take this one a bit further, and suggest that no one really does anything alone. You might think you do, but only because you disregard all other life forms on this planet as inconsequential. If you regarded the plants, insects, and animals as people too, then you now have to take into consideration that you did not do a single thing alone.

Even the great men who make discoveries that give us technological advancements did not do this alone. They were standing on the shoulders of other great men who came before them.

So here is the kicker: Ask yourself this question; Which of these can we live without? Cooperation? Or competition?

So, the answer is clearly Cooperation is more important than competition.

Though it seems clear, the world would probably be far less interesting if there wasn't any competition at all.

I don't think so because it is similar to comparing oranges to apples and saying which is better, both are needed in the free world.

Update

Without cooperation this computer would not exist that I am using. Without competition I would not have been able to afford this computer.

Competition makes progress and improvement. Competition drives down prices while increasing quality. However cooperation of the many people on the projects make those projects possible.

Example there is a lot of competition in computers with no regulations to restrict ideas. So computers have become very cheap, and progressed beyond any dreams. However it takes the cooperation of all the people in the factory to build one computer, furthermore the cooperation of many people on research and development to keep thinking of new things to beat out the competition.

I think that cooperation is more important because together, you can do more than you can alone. If there is not enought of a resource and competition ensues, I would be better to cooperate and find more resources. Competition promotes greed, jealousy, revenge, pride, etc... A little bit of competion is good though, keep you at the top your game. But in an ultimatum situation, cooperation is best for all. 20 people can do more in one day than one person can do in 20 days. There are some things you just can't do alone, like build a house. You need another person to help you raise the walls. Also, when people are working together in love, that love multiplies as well.

cooperation should always come first! competition as a no.1 goal is stupidity(ego)! competition used to improve your self is good!one may be the strongest but even so when he will not be able to lift something because to heavy or bad posture or injury!he will see the value of cooperation when people come help him! the only time people should not cooperate is when the achivement of the cooperation is not good! well i hope it helped you to understand this!also the strongest animal survive yes it is! but look at the tiger it is in balence it is the strenght of the tiger!that is why it is the strongest!and a tiger never fight another tiger!