On Three Approaches to Solving the Altruism Dilemma

The altruism dilemma is about the dilemma between the competition for survival and reproduction among inter-individuals AND the existence of the altruistic character.Compared with individual-selection theories such as kin selection and reciprocal altruism,the group-selection theory seems more reasonable,for at least two reasons.First,the group-selection theory eliminates the fake altruist behaviors which are compatible with kin selection and reciprocal altruism.To make it clear,the 'altruist' behaviors defined by both kin selection and reciprocal altruism might finally promote—or at least compensate—the biological fitness of the individual 'altruist',and thus do not belong to the realm of biological altruism in the real sense.In contrast,the group-selection theory enables individual altruists to promote the biological fitness of their groups.Second,the biggest challenge faced by the group-selection theory in its explanation of biological altruism is that of 'subversion from within',but this challenge is successfully resolved by group selection-ists with the development of 'multi-level selection theory'.However,there're some un-resolvable difficulties for group selection-ists in explaining the altruism dilemma.In this sense,we need some other biological theory,which is more refined and comprehensive,to explain the altruism dilemma.