I forget a term and it's pissing me off

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a term related to evolutionary biology, specifically focusing on the concept where one individual increases the fitness of another at a cost to its own fitness. The scope includes theoretical aspects of evolution and the nuances of altruism.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant defines a concept in evolution where an individual's actions benefit another at a personal cost, noting that many argue there is no true form of this.
  • Another participant suggests that the term might relate to altruism.
  • A later reply confirms that altruism is indeed the term being sought.
  • There is a mention of an interesting debate regarding whether natural selection operates at the level of a population, an individual, or a gene.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the term in question is related to altruism, but there remains an unresolved debate about the mechanisms of selection in evolution.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights differing perspectives on the nature of altruism and its implications in evolutionary theory, as well as the lack of consensus on the level at which selection operates.

anisotropic
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In evolution, the definition is something along the lines of:

When one individual increases the fitness of another individual either directly or indirectly, at the cost of decreasing its own fitness. (many argue there is no true form of this)

By the way, it is not related to symbiosis in any way.

I forget what the damn word is, but I need to remember it. Can anyone help me out?
 
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Does it have something to do with altruism?
 
Bingo, thanks.
 
anisotropic said:
(many argue there is no true form of this)
It is an interesting debate...whether selection functions at the level of a population, an individual, or a gene.
 

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