[ExI] Group Selection Advances

Stefano Vaj stefano.vaj at gmail.com
Fri May 1 21:21:09 UTC 2009


On Fri, May 1, 2009 at 10:21 PM, hkhenson <hkhenson at rogers.com> wrote:
> I have never seen a proposed group selection trait that could not be
> accounted for with standard selfish gene theory.

Yes and no. The original hypothesis had mostly to do AFAIK with the
relative genetic proximity of the altruist behaviour's beneficiaries -
offspring, hive, family, herd, tribe, etc.

OTOH, on the basis of a game theory approach, it is sufficient that
dividends in terms of increased success, offered by the genetic traits
inclining towards group loyalty, exceed the related costs for the
relevant traits to thrive. More or less as in the case of an agreement
amongst a few players at a poker table.

You are right however in the sense that even in the second scenario
the only ultimate beneficiary may only be the replicator that codifies
for the trait - or the trait would never evolved and be maintained in
the first place.

-- 
Stefano Vaj



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