[lbo-talk] Altruism

[Miles Jackson]

On 8/12/2011 11:23 AM, // ravi wrote:
> In summation, natural selection for fitness, in the classical/standard model, addresses the question of how and why traits arise within species, not how species compete against each other (*). In other words: species are the unit of evolution but individuals are (in the traditional/accepted case) the unit of selection (*).
>
> 	—ravi

Check out Gould, Structure of Evolutionary Theory.   In contrast to the 
dogma "natural selection must occur at the level of the individual 
organism," Gould argues the there is in fact clear empirical support for 
a hierarchical theory of selection.  In his view, natural selection acts 
at the level of gene, cell, organism, deme, and species, and he bolsters 
his case with compelling data.  Interesting stuff.

Miles