On 10 Sep 2001, at 11:49, Robert J. Chassell wrote:
> Animals behave selfishly, in terms of their genes. That dosn't
> mean that they won't help blood relatives or mates, mind you,
> because they have a selfish interest in them as well.
<snip>
> In this case, the variant of this species that tends to help others
> will increase over time; the variant will be selected for.
Sure, it's selfish tho, although the arnimal may seem to act
altrusticly, it's really acting for it's own benefit.
> When the process occurs between two different species, it is
> often considered a process that leads to more symbiosis.
Mutralism, not symbiosis.
> When the process occurs within a species, but between distantly
> related individuals, the process is often called `group selection'.
>
> Group selection often has a very low probability of occuring because
> so much else can occur. Its influence may be heavily diluted.
>
> Put another way, it is often the case that you are more likely to
> increase the probability that your genes will be passed on if you save
> the life of a nephew than if you save the life of a stranger.
>
> Nonetheless, you can argue that some animals, and perhaps we humans,
> have a genetic predisposition to help others who are not blood
> relations, at least, in some circumstances.
In terms of pack animals, then yes, the pack tends to do well or
poorly as one, and hence helping the pack is good. BUT, packs
also tend to genetically related.
Andy
Dawn Falcon
