Altruistic Self The Altruistic Self Nathan Dougherty Department of Biology; College of Arts and Sciences Abilene Christian University Altruism as a purely naturalistic phenomenon self-defeats the term altogether; however, theology also makes unsubstantiated claims that some behaviors are purely selfless. I will first define various conceptual forms of altruism and then offer explanations of the term from neurological, evolutionary and psychological investigations. Despite the position that altruism can be reduced to a fantastical impossibility bearing neither the arms of science nor theology, it is also a fallacy to separate it from a religiously derived supernatural altruism that carries no implications for the realm of morality. Veined within the confused conflict for rudimentary manifestations of the term between science and religion, morality can be discussed via neurological, attempts to edify itself as cause to evolutionary and psychological disestablish evolutionary insights that tend investigations; whereas the case for literal to reduce humanity to products of chance altruism is reduced to a fantastical and fitness. Deeply associated with human impossibility bearing neither the arms of morality is the ambiguous concept of science nor theology, it is a fallacy separate altruism; there are arguments that attempt to from a religiously derived supernatural split its role between being a liberator of altruism and carries no implications for the evolutionary beliefs and a defender of realm of morality. religious infallibility. While science claims that altruism is a self-profiting, genetically Defining Altruism derived behavioral trait that has survived The term altruism must initially be environmental pressures, theology tends to divided based on varying intensities of effect view it as evidence of Godly influence that on the individual participating in behaviors denies humanity from being classified or actions. The first is that altruism is within phylogenetic clades. Considering unselfish concern or behavior promoting the these modifications to the concept of welfare of another person/organism with altruism as an armament, it is necessary to absolutely no personal profit. This definition establish a clear understanding of what provokes discourse within philosophical and altruism is; its obscurity is that of a singular psychological categories, often inviting dialectal utterance that represents varying religious moralists to advocate for evidence ideas with immensely differing implications of its manifestation in radically selfless for ideological debates. The typical usage of actions such as in the case of fatal self- the concept of altruism within the scientific sacrifice. The second is that altruism is realm consequently self-defeats the term concern or behavior that promotes the altogether, while proponents of theological welfare of another individual/organism at beliefs make unsubstantiated claims that some personal cost. This more unrestricted certain actions or behaviors are purely view of the idea does permit some personal selfless. After clearly distinguishing the benefit for the participant, whether initially conceptual forms of altruism, explanations or with delayed return. A subset of this Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2016-Spring 2017 |Volume 4 1 Altruistic Self definition is biological altruism, which idea is also synonymous with Hamilton’s specifies that the cost to the individual is a inclusive fitness theory in which fitness is reduction in reproductive capability. based on numbers of offspring individually produced and the behaviors that lead to Evolution of Altruism others of the same species producing With the tenants of survival of the offspring.3 This, however, does not explain fittest being ones of selfish competitive the existence of prosocial behaviors towards behaviors, the notion of biological altruism other individuals that are not relatives, or are ascends as a seemingly unacquainted trait. If different species altogether. Interspecies genes for altruistic behavior were selected altruism disestablishes the notion of similar via environmental pressures, it appears genetic material being the only motivation counterintuitive for altruism to be for altruistic behaviors, and introduces the propagating in a system built on self- idea of environmentally induced, mutually sustainability. At the core of natural beneficial, cross-species interactions that selection, genes are the immortal component could select for altruistic genes. of a biological lineage; selfish genes must The second theory is reciprocal altruism benefit generational inheritance whereas which may be explained more as a altruistic ones must hinder it.1 Dawkins sociobiological construct in which delayed proposes an explanation of altruistic cooperation exists to encourage altruistic behavior, however, as related to the idea of behaviors. With this insight, an individual selfish genes; by his theory, each individual enacts a behavior characterized by personal gene is a selfish component of an risk and associates it with a return of organismal vector. These vectors exist as personal profit from the other organism that survival machines and constitute a it interacted with. This makes altruistic genetically designed environment that is interactions increasingly more likely if assembled via cooperation within a gene delayed returns are consistent and have pool. Additionally, a gene is not a singular greater reward than the initial input. Thirdly, entity, but exists as copies of itself contained group selection theory establishes that the within these organismal vectors. The early days of hominids were ones of presence of altruistic genes (ones promoting competition over limited resources, and prosocial altruistic behavior toward other tribal affiliations arose with association to individuals) amidst selfish genes has the individuals requiring grouping to be more potential to self-profit all genes of the successful than other individuals, or to species if cooperation is occurring at the compete with other groups. Prosocial organismal level. behaviors within the groups would be Several evolutionary theories attempt altruistic while between-group interactions to explain the presence of altruistic genes in would be selfish and competitive. humans as products of successful fitness Individuals lacking genes that would dependent on cooperation.2 Firstly, the promote cooperative behaviors would not theory of kin selection coincides with produce offspring and consequently the Dawkins’ selfish gene theory in that these lineage would terminate. altruistic genes could have arisen via While these theories all suggest that cooperation between individuals with an ultimate selfish benefit surpasses any similar gene pools, such as relatives. This altruistic behaviors (regarding evolutionary 1 Dawkins, 1989. 3 Marshall, 2016. 2 Numan, 2015. Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2016-Spring 2017 |Volume 4 2 Altruistic Self fitness), it is sometimes difficult to reconcile reduce the potential biomass in the certain behaviors within these explanations. ecosystem that the lioness could feed on; Steyn, a published travel journalist, captured that single infant will later become interactions between a lioness and a family reproductively capable and provide of baboons that seem to deviate from the exponentially more feeding opportunities. benefit-over-cost Hamiltonian formula. The From this aspect, it is possible that altruistic lioness killed a mother baboon that was prey-mercy toward infants is not a confusion carrying a single male infant baboon. While of instincts, but an evolutionary advantage beginning to devour her meal, the lioness over predators that would otherwise easily noticed the escaping infant. Instead of completely reduce their prey population a swift death, however, the lioness nurtured through non-selective killing and feeding. the baboon and acted as if pained by the The justification provided by circumstances.4 Her fitness was drastically population dynamics loses some stability reduced in this situation for numerous when a helper individual sacrifices personal reasons: 1) She ignored the mother baboon fitness to improve the fitness of a (meal); 2) she ignored the infant baboon (as competitor. An adult elephant has been a meal); 3) she violently rejected mating observed attempting to rescue an infant advances of two male lions (she possibly rhinoceros from a mire while being charged may have been defending the infant by the violent mother rhino.6 While baboon). Dawkins suggests that “unconscious From a sociobiology standpoint, the calculations” via an “unspecified protective actions of the lioness could be mechanism” manifest as compassion such as marked as confused maternal instincts by seen here, others suggest that “altruistic which the infant baboon in distress elicited a emotions of compassion, empathy and mistaken sympathetic response from her. generosity” may be the missing link, “even The failure of this hypothesis is that it if they serve ‘selfish genes’.”7 Emotion assumes that in this instance, the lioness has exists as a concept related to feeling that is a propensity toward being biologically unfit, often associated with the motivations of a which is unlikely considering that the mind; it is an element superseding genetic lineage of lions stretches back to the middle influences and residing rather in the Pleistocene (.8-1.0 Ma), and modern maned organismal attribute of consciousness. lions evolved from a single lineage 320–190 Masson and McCarthy