An Explanation of Altruism in Primate Social Behavior

Altruism is one of the most mysterious social behaviors in the world. Altruism is defined as behavior that increases, on average, the reproductive fitness of others at the expense of the fitness of the altruist. Fitness simply means the expected number of offspring. When an organism gives up the advancement of its own fitness for the fitness advancement of another organism in the population, it seems somewhat illogical. However, from the articles I’ve read, …

…This also includes a degree of selfishness that I think exists in all primate communities, as expressed in the journals. I believe that altruism may, in some cases, be a result of selfish behavior by an individual. However, I do think altruism exists, meaning I do not think altruism is a redundant product of selfishness. Darwin’s basic concepts still hold true regarding the process of natural selection and altruism is only a factor therein.