Darwinism And Altruism

Darwinism and Altruism

If you look at nature more carefully, you will find that id does not always seem that way. You may see animals that are strikingly unselfish, most of the time for their own species, such as giving a warning of approaching predators, sharing food, licking others to remove parasites, adopting orphans. They fight without killing or even injuring their enemies. Such behaviour poses a problem for the Darwinian view of nature; this behaviour is known as altruism. But is there a problem?
Yes There is!
One of Darwin's greatest challenges was explaining how altruism could have evolved. For example, consider how a single bird within a flock might act as an emergency alarm, giving a warning call when a predator approaches. By receiving advance warning, the other birds in the flock have a better chance of escaping from the predator. But this comes at a price to the bird that guards the flock. A warning call attracts a lot of attention, making the guard an easier target for the predator. HOW could a character for such altruism be passed from one generation to generation if it is the altruists who are easily eliminated, should not be some kind of reward or motivation for this self-sacrifice? How can we explain this behaviour?
To be continued
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Last Updated: Apr 22nd 2010

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