Re: Is there a religion gene?

On Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:37:42 +0000, Ian Smith wrote:

The level of altruism has been shown to be mathematically linked to
the benefit of the genetic relationship. This wasn't understood for
many years as the mathematical link seemed not to follow, until the
level of investment was factored in to the equation, usually
approximated to the body weight. It has been tested in societies
that have different structures to our own, such as bees, wasps and
ants where the queens sisters tend the young. It has also been
tested using societies distorted by parasites - where parasitic
species sneak their own young in to be tended by the community.

So, altruism in general is a well understood theory and not in any
way at the level of an unsupported hypothesis.

Absolutely correct, and with a bit of luck, that's what he's talking about.

But the equations don't just explain altruism - they also explain its
opposite (the Wikipedia articles on WD Hamilton and George Price have it
all there, though I haven't a hope of following Price's maths), when
one animal deliberately harms another for no very obvious reason, a thing
which apparently is technically called spite.

What's required from a basis for morality is an explanation of why
altruism is good, and spite is bad; and that the theory doesn't do.

--
Pete Barrett

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: arithmetic, population and energy
    ... of humans you see that altruism breaks down the larger the group. ... where there are parasites, there are opportunities for at least ... The stairs clog up because of the numerous ... That sort of thing is how one survives to old age. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Reviews of Unto Others
    ... >> Spite is just a red herring that has ... >> no bearing on Hamiltonian altruism. ... > about what cannot evolve. ... when measured in absolute fitness ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: arithmetic, population and energy
    ... There is almost no selection pressure to choose people who ... of humans you see that altruism breaks down the larger the group. ... where there are parasites, there are opportunities for at least ... In human populations "enough time" is an important parameter. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: arithmetic, population and energy
    ... There is almost no selection pressure to choose people who ... of humans you see that altruism breaks down the larger the group. ... where there are parasites, there are opportunities for at least ... In human populations "enough time" is an important parameter. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: arithmetic, population and energy
    ... There is almost no selection pressure to choose people who ... of humans you see that altruism breaks down the larger the group. ... where there are parasites, there are opportunities for at least ... The stairs clog up because of the numerous ...
    (talk.origins)