Kin selection
Kin selection was first suggested by Darwin as an explanation to the sterile castes of social insects and has later been mathematically defined by W. D. Hamilton as a mechanism for the evolution of apparently altruistic acts. Under natural selection a gene that causes itself to increase in frequency should become more common in the population. Since identical copies of genes may be carried in relatives, a gene in one organism that prompts behaviour which aids another organism carrying the same gene may become more successful provided that
- r × b > c
- r = the chance that the aided organism carries the same gene
- b = the addition reproductive benefit gained by the recipient of the 'altruistic' act,
- c = the reproductive cost to the individual of performing the act.
This leads to the concept that an individual should sacrifice itself in order to save "two siblings, four nephews or eight cousins," since siblings share 50% of an individual's genes, nephews 25% and cousins 12.5% (in a diploid, randomly mating and outbred[?] population).
Kin selection has been used to explain the evolution of humanity's social structure, social insects such as ants and termites, and even the evolution of multicellular animals[?].
See also:
External links
with the girl.html">girl who has been in waiting.]
DRAGOON (stepping between them).
Why, who the devil shall say me nay!
DRAGOON.
Such a morsel as this, for himself alone!--
In the camp to be keeping a wench for one!
Like the beams of the sun, to gladden us all.
DRAGOON (tears her away).
The pipers are coming, lads! now for fun.html">fun!
SECOND YAGER (to Dragoon).
Peace, my good fellows!--a kiss goes free.
SCENE VIII.
Enter Miners, and play a waltz--at first slowly, and
the Sutler-woman with the recruit. The girl springs away,
Friar just entering.
CAPUCHIN.
The fun's at its height! I'll not be away!
Or are we all turned Anabaptists and Turks?
As though the great God had the gout in his hand.html">hand,
Say, is this a time for your revelling shouts,
Quid hic statis otiosi? declare
While the furies of war.html">war on the Danube now fare
And Ratisbon's fast in the clutch of the foe.
And caring for naught, so their paunches they fill!
And your bills than your broad-swords more readily wet;
And you'd rather roast oxen than Oxenstiern.
No thought has the soldier his guzzle of leaving.
Portentous the face of the heavens appears!
The Lord's war-mantle is downward spread--
From the window of heaven by the hand of God.
The ark of the church stems a bloody flow,
Has wretchedly sunk to a hollow name.
The cloister's nests are robbed by roysters;
Abbacies, and all other holy foundations
And thus is each once-blest German state,
Whence comes all this? Oh, that will I tell--
Of the horrible, heathenish lives ye lead,
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