A Note on the Theory of Reciprocal Altruism

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Abstract
The evolution of altruistic behavior is discussed, with a special elaboration on the theory of reciprocal altruism. Basically, an individual X ought to come to the aid of individual Y if at some future date X can expect to be assisted by Y. Inherent in this notion are 2 important assumptions. First, the theory assumes that over time each individual is faced with varying circumstances, some good, others bad. Second, it is assumed that there is a negative covariance between the circumstances faced by each individual at each moment. The consequences of these assumptions are examined with equations in which variance and covariance are explicit terms.

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