Kin Selection & Altruism

As I recall, that "chimp" was actually a gorilla. Here are some links:
CBS Chicago - Breaking News, First Alert Weather, Exclusive Investigations & Community Journalism
Binti Jua | MY HERO
Ark Animals Wildside: Binti the Gorilla
Gorilla Heaven - Gorilla information & Conservation The genetic (kinship) accounts of altruism have never seemed convincing to me. I doubt that this is a genetic trait, at least in humans and gorillas. IMO it is more likely learned behavior.

Living in the Chicago area, and having visited the ape house at Brookfield zoo a number of times, it stuck in my memory. My theory is that what is selected by evolution, is the ability to be easily socialized. The actual altruism would be a detail of the socialization.In the case of binti the gorilla, her experiences might have included socializing with humans more than is typical for gorillas (even zoo gorillas)

How do you distinguish between altruism and enlightened self interest?

I just mailed of the check for my insurance premium. Since I'm not expecting to benefit, I guess that make me an altruist.We wouldn't agree with that, of course. I made a rational decision to purchase insurance, aware of the cost and the possible (or unlikely) benefits.I'm suggesting that society itself is a kind of informal insurance pool for a social species. The good deeds we do are the premiums we pay, and the good deeds others do for us are the benefits we receive.The idea is that altruistic behavior is learned. The young child gets a lot of benefits from this social insurance system, and quickly learns that paying his/her premiums makes him more respected in the society, and thus better able to collect benefits when needed. This isn't done in some sort of crass calculation. But the suggestion is that children already learn to recognize the extent to which they are respected by the system, and thus in some sense to judge the size of the potential insurance benefits, should they need them.

You are not buying insurance as a gamble, but as protection against ruin (sometimes called "gambler's ruin"). You typically know that it is a bad gamble, but still of value for its protection against ruin.I guess that comment was off-topic. Obviously the insurance model I gave is a simplification. But sure, by 18 months the child has already learnt about social relations, at least within the family, and already knows the benefit of doing things that please his parents. I'm not an expert in chimps. But they are a social species, albeit not nearly as social as humans. I agree. But that doesn't contradict it being learned behavior.

I expect that the basic principles of learning are the same for all mammalian species, though some are better at it than others. But learning is driven by necessity. Humans need help from others, so are more motivated to join in the social game. Being born relatively immature, and lacking the fur of other apes, is likely part of what provides the dependence on others that is part of this need. Agreed.