ABSTRACT
Similar difficulties surround the other terms of reference. At the psychological level, what is 'altruism' -. or, to use a more formal definition, helping behaviour directed toward unknown, non-reciprocating non-kin? When the beneficiaries of helping are kin, many hiologists contest the term 'altruism', since the actor is indirectly furthering the propagation of genes shared hy descent. Even if this objection is dismissed, is an extension of cooperation to potential genetic competitors possible without a conscious intention to benefit the recipient? Is the actor's motivation relevant and if so, how does it explain behaviours whose consequences often contradict stated intentions'? Also, if welfare is defined as an altruistically motivated redistribution of resources, how could such disinterested behaviour emerge in a species whose sexual reproduction precludes the hases of co-operation found among some haplo-diploid insects?
