Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id OAA07639 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 10 Jan 2002 14:38:44 GMT X-Originating-IP: [137.110.248.206] From: "Grant Callaghan" <grantc4@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Lamarckian? Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 06:34:11 -0800 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <LAW2-F14384OGBvbzbZ0001d678@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 10 Jan 2002 14:34:12.0354 (UTC) FILETIME=[DF264E20:01C199E3] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
... No
>examples of altruism exist in biology.
>
Chris, have you read The Origins of Virtue by Matt Ridley? He gives a good
discussion of the subject. I'm wondering, though, how you define altruism.
I saw a story in the paper yesterday about a lion in Africa that adopted and
nurtured a (I think) gazell, protecting it from other preditors. They had a
nice relationship until anoter lion came along while the protector was
absent and ate it. I, myself, have seen a dog adopt a cat and nurse it when
its mother died. If you define altruism as giving without receiving
anything in return, that's hard to prove. The giver must get some
satisfaction or the behavior wouldn't exist. But the world is full of
examples of giving with no obvious reward. Just look at all the totally
useless animals humans adopt and devote time and money to caring for.
What's their motivtion?
Grant
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