Hamilton meets causal decision theory. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martens, Johannes
• Is Part Of: Studies in history and philosophy of science. Volume 77(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: Biology -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals; Biology -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Medicine -- History -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Bioethics -- Periodicals; Biologie -- Histoire -- Périodiques; Biologie -- Philosophie -- Périodiques; Sciences de la santé -- Histoire -- Périodiques; Sciences de la santé -- Philosophie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Histoire -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Philosophie -- Périodiques; 570.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsc.2019.101187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8486

Abstract

Abstract: In this paper, I contrast two mathematically equivalent ways of modeling the evolution of altruism, namely the classical inclusive fitness approach and a more recent, "direct fitness" approach. Though both are usually considered by evolutionists as mere different ways of representing the same causal process (i.e. that of kin selection), I argue that this consensus is misleading, for there is a fundamental ambiguity concerning the causal interpretation of the DF approach. Drawing on an analogy between the structure of inclusive fitness theory and that of causal decision theory (Stalnaker, 1972), I show that only the inclusive fitness framework can provide us with a proper, and unambiguous causal partition of the relevant variables involved in the evolution of altruism. Highlights: The direct and inclusive fitness methods are two ways of modeling biological altruism. There is an analogy between the inclusive fitness method and causal choice theory. This analogy is used to show the superiority of the inclusive fitness method.