The evolution of altruism and the serial rediscovery of the role of relatedness
An analysis of 43 evolutionary models in which altruism evolves and where the authors attribute the evolution of altruism to a pathway other than kin selection and/or deny the role of relatedness reveals that in every case the life cycle assumptions entail local reproduction and local interactions, thereby leading to interacting individuals being genetically related.
Abstract
<jats:title>Significance</jats:title><jats:p>The canonical explanation for the evolution of altruism (“kin selection”)—which was mathematically derived in the 1960s by W. D. Hamilton—emphasizes the importance of genetic relatedness. Over the past three decades, numerous authors claim to have discovered alternative explanations. We systematically analyze the models substantiating these claims and reveal that in every model the interacting individuals are genetically related and that the authors have therefore unwittingly rediscovered Hamilton’s insight.</jats:p>