EFFICIENCY OF VARIOUS CONCEPTS OF GENE IN ACCOUNTING FOR ALTRUISM

Abstract

Some already existing concepts of gene, i.e., the selfish gene and two classical concepts: the general and the molecular gene; as well as some newer ones, i.e., the continuous molecular gene, the organismic gene, the universal gene and the quantum gene - are faced with the task of accounting for altruism. Each of them is shown especially in its conceptually weak points. Yet, particularly within some higher-scale newer concepts of gene, some possible foundation for altruism can be shown to exist.