The selfless Gene

  

     

  The main thrust that are discussed in the article entitled “The Selfless Gene” written by Olivia  are: the evolutionary roots of altruism, its the evolution in animals and humans, and the questions of where it began and how it was manifested in a particular social group.  Altruism is the act of an extreme self-sacrifice, but what makes it very strange that the  individuals sacrifices to let another individual or specie to not die and continue to exist. And the question that we can ask is: what the relationship between altruism and genes is?  A gene requires reproduction to improve and continue in order to exist; however, the individuals that sacrifices will care more about the other’s interest and comfort and care less about having children. A solution of this problem was suggested by the evolutionary biologist “William Donald Hamilton”. He said that the genes that promote the altruistic act will spread if the benefit that the act bestows is high enough, and the genetic relationship between the altruist and the beneficiary is close enough, to outweigh the act’s cost to the altruist.

Many people did not agree with this article, and an example of this is a university student who reflects about it.