Inclusive fitness

An oxymoron appeared to exist between Darwin’s theory of natural selection (1859) and the definition of altruism (West et al., 2006). Hamilton’s theory of inclusive fitness (1964) appeared to mediate this problem. However, the theory does not explain altruistic acts towards non-kin in line with natural selection. Reciprocal altruism (Trivers, 1971), indirect altruism (Alexander, 1987) and strong reciprocity (Gintis, 2000) have been proposed to resolve this conflict. It is of note that behaviour in

anthropological and biological community. Selfish genes are theoretically the genes that should be pervasive among individuals because of the implicated fitness benefits associated with selfish behavior. Yet, cooperation is abundantly found in human behavior cross-culturally. Cooperation can be tentatively explained by evolutionary models involving inclusive fitness or group selection; however, these models represent weak selective processes that are often constrained by genetic relatedness. This

Citadel High School Mathematics SL The Search for Altruism Alina Chen 002937-0110 (Examinations) May 2015 Introduction Kindness is the one notion that can be understood throughout time and across all cultures and languages. To be altruistic in the modern-day world is to show selfless concern for the welfare of others. Many consider such a characteristic to be immeasurable, but leaps in science and math have begun to show otherwise. This was really intriguing, as I had

People are constantly growing and changing from the moment they’re born until the moment they die. Yet, some researchers believe that the personality is the one thing about a person that does not change over time. Genetics and environment equally contribute to the development of the personality. This is shown through the nature/nurture principle. The way a person behaves towards others, and reacts towards the world around them is determined by that person’s individual personality. No two personalities

Introduction Group behaviour, also known as gregarious behaviour, occurs in a wide variety of animals including, but not limited to, invertebrates (Ritz, 1994), fish (Shaw, 1970), birds (Lack, 1968), wildebeests (Gueron and Levin, 1993), lions (Bertram, 1975), and primates (Nakagawa, 1990). Benefits of group living include improved reproductive success, increased foraging success, and improved predation survival (Hamilton, 1971; Reluga and Viscido, 2005). Social behaviours evolve when the benefits

What is one of the first things you’ll hear about working in the TV industry? That it’s a good, exciting career path? That you’ll work with great people, have great, varied experiences, or earn a living doing what you love? No. We are told that it is cut-throat. And more often than not, we are told that the only way we will be successful is if we act the same. We can’t even be nice. Ever heard the words “too nice for this industry” aimed at somebody? “I know work can get busy, you are ambitious and

In the book, The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins he elaborates on two very important phrases that he will share throughout the entire book. “This book will show how both individual selfishness and individual altruism are explained by the fundamental law that I am calling gene selfishness.” (6) I am sure we all know the word selfishness pretty well, but to some ‘altruism’ may be new. The way I view it is that if someone is altruistic, than they do things that benefit the good of the group, species

Would you give a penny to the needy? How about a kidney? A heart? The thought of spring break brings up images of partying in warm weather, drunken one-night stands, and the raging hangovers that follow; yet for Rachel Garneau, a junior at Notre-Dame, it represented an pseudo-holiday opportunity for giving, and give she did. This twenty year old gave up a kidney for a complete stranger. There was an air of psychosis to her as she walked right into the University Of Chicago’s Bernard Mitchell Hospital

Love is a unique aspect of the human condition that does not seem to exist in any other lifeform. In spite of this, like many other traits that stem from evolution, it is likely that love is a product of that process as well. Regardless of whether it is subconscious or not, romantic and familial love seem to go hand in hand as people tend to seek qualities that may benefit a future family. It can be argued that the sensation felt by a large majority of the population, love, can be attributed to the

A) There are several issues raised in this question. There is a debate as to whether humans are a cooperating species or a selfish species. Humans cooperate instinctively for survival because this is beneficial to them. It can be argued that human beings cooperate for a reason because cooperation has many benefits; it aids survival. Cooperation evolved as a result of the benefits attached to it, this could be motivated entirely by the self-interest of the individual. According to Richard Dawkins