Integrated task- Altruism

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The reading passage presents some supporting points of altruism as a self less act in humans and animals. The lecturer casts doubt on each of these points and mentions that humans and animals have their own benefits behind this behavior, and thus it is not a self less act.

To begin with, the reading passage states that humans share their food and donate their organs to their family members and strangers without getting anything in return. However, the lecturer asserts that humans shows altruism to gain rewards in return. She gives an example of an extreme case and mentions that if a person donate his kidney to his family members or a stranger, he will be appreciated by his society and a strangers. Thus people dive their organs and food to get the rewards in return. This appears to be a contradiction to the assertion stated in the reading passage.

In addition, the reading passage asserts that the sentinel meerkat be guard for its species to keep eye on predator and warns other meerkats if a predator is approaching. Furthermore, this sentinel meerkat does not eat when they are watching for other animals, which shows its selfless act. However, the lecturer points out that study has proven after close examination of eating pattern of this species that the guard meerkat already eats food before standing as a guard. Thus it is full stomach while watching for others. Moreover, the lecturer states that other study has proven that the sentinel meerkat stands near to its burrow, so it can go back very quickly in its dwelling. She also mentions that this guard meerkat actually put other meerkats in danger because when it cries to warn others, other meerkats run in herds. This catches the attention of the predator on these running animals. Thus, this sentinel meerkat sacrifices it self for its species.