Using the points and examples given in the lecture, explain how altruism may be a beneficial characteristic for some animals.

The idea that altruism is a uniquely HUMAN characteristic that cannot be found in nature might be popular among certain philosophers, but it has little basis in fact. Actually, altruism is relatively common in the animal kingdom. For example, in certain families of squirrels… when a predator like a fox comes around… the squirrels are known to shriek out to warn their family members about the danger, even if the noise makes them TARGETS for the predator. Similarly, when a herd of wildebeests is attacked… stronger members of the pack will try to TRAMPLE the threat rather than letting the young and weak get picked off, even if this subjects them to danger.

What is the reason for all of this, evolutionarily speaking? It seems like a puzzle, right? Why would evolution favor the development of altruistic behaviors that might endanger individual life? The answer is… uh… it’s a bit complicated, but essentially, the answer is that by protecting the entire COMMUNITY, including several relatives, the altruistic animal ensures that the community’s genes as a whole can still be passed on. In other words, if a single squirrel dies after, say, shrieking at a fox, but the entire community is spared… well… that means that from a COLLECTIVE perspective, the community’s fitness is INCREASED by having altruistic behaviors associated with its members.