Does Altruism Exist?

March 16, 2015
Wilson (The Neighborhood Project), president of the Evolution Institute, declares that the debate between proponents of kin selection and group selection has been firmly resolved in favor of the latter. Many in the kin selection camp will continue to disagree; still, Wilson's argument is fascinating. Biologist Lynn Margulis posited in the 1960s and 1970s that humans are in part the sum of organisms mergingâmulticellular organisms being "a group of groups of groups, whose members led more fractious lives" eons past. Examining superorganisms of varying levels of complexity, Wilson concludes that altruism within a group trumps selfishness. "Higher-level superorganisms such as nucleated cells, multicellular organisms, and eusocial insect colonies dominate their lower-level competitors," Wilson writes, noting that "when an ant colony moves into a rotten log, most of the solitary invertebrate species... are quickly displaced." He also clarifies that no organisms demonstrate pure altruism, though humans are capable of it. Alone among primates, humans transformed "from groups of organisms to groups as organisms," and represent "a major evolutionary transition." The rub: when altruistic groups beat selfish groups, they get bigger, and thus harder to manage. Still, Wilson thinks there will be "planetary altruists" yet. This is a fascinating, if inconclusive, take on altruism.

January 1, 2015

Altruism's existence has been debated among academics for centuries. Evolutionary scholar Wilson (president, Evolutionary Inst.; Darwin's Cathedral) believes that the force indeed exists and presents a detailed theory of it using an evolutionary lens. To clearly understand altruism, the author says, one must go beyond the ideology of thoughts or feelings and consider the concept in terms of action and group-level functional organizations. The evolution of culture must be studied in order to understand selection mechanisms that transmit across generations. In the first half of the book, Wilson lays a theoretical foundation by exploring human and nonhuman group-level functionality. He then surveys how the humans and their altruism influence religion, economics, and everyday life. The final two chapters address the positive and negative aspects of altruism, reminding the reader that achievement at the planetary level requires humans to act consciously, encouraging steps that benefit the global community. Significant notes and works-cited sections will aid those who have questions or remains skeptical of Wilson's theory. VERDICT This highly readable work is for anyone interested in the theory of altruism and how it functions in society today.--Angela Forret, Clive P.L., IA

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