Altruism,
defined as selfless concern for the well-being of others, is esteemed across
various cultures and religions, often linked to the principle of "the
Golden Rule." Typically, humans are considered altruistic when they
intentionally aim to help others. However, certain animals engage in behaviors
that would be deemed altruistic, despite being perceived as lacking conscious
intent. Biologists, therefore, evaluate animal altruism based on the outcomes
of actions rather than conscious motives.
Interestingly,
some altruistic acts can incur costs to the performer while benefiting the
recipient. Evolutionarily, this seems at odds with Darwin's theory of natural
selection, which posits that animals should prioritize their own survival and
reproduction for competitive advantage. For instance, worker bees are unable to
reproduce but devote their lives to serving and protecting the queen bee and
her offspring.
To
explain such altruistic behavior, evolutionary theorist W.D. Hamilton proposed
the inclusive fitness or kin selection hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests
that genetic relatedness within a group may encourage individuals to support
each other's survival, thereby increasing the likelihood of propagating shared
genes, especially when individual survival is less critical.
Nevertheless,
some examples of animal altruism remain challenging to explain evolutionarily,
such as dogs adopting orphaned cats or squirrels, or dolphins saving humans
from shark attacks. In these cases, it is possible that the act of performing a
good deed serves as its own reward.
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| According to kin selection theory, animals are more likely to exhibit altruistic behavior toward their relatives than non-relatives within their species. Furthermore, scientific research indicates that the degree of altruism increases with the level of genetic relatedness. |
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