Symmetry is a good indicator of good genes…if you ever look at people considered physically beautiful you will notice that they have excellent symmetry. My wife said my hands appealed to her…I have five fingers on each one.[/quote]
I do agree that it’s all about our selfish, selfish genes.[/quote]
True, except for when it is not. In reproductive years more so but not even then…lots of men raise other men’s kids with amazing devotion. I have a very successful friend from a “good” familly. At 32 he married a woman of modest means, with serious life shortening health issues, a terrible past pretty much from childhood up to the point he met her. She had two boys from different fathers, a third boy from a yet another father had already committed suicide at a very young age. They were married faithfully until her illnesses finally took her down. There was no perverted ulterior motive , like getting at the boys or something evil like that. He is still close to them and a fully involved grandfather to be.
You can say there might be a lot of rescuer enabler stuff or that he is a saint, but you can’t say his selfish genes ruled.[/quote]
Our genes tell us to be “altruistic” under certain circumstances. Most of the time those circumstances are indicative of a genetic relationship, but sometimes not. In the case of the cat, she apparently has instincts to protect small fuzzy things that come into her life when oxytocin (or some other hormone) is off the charts. Under almost all circumstances, those fuzzy things are going to be her children (especially since she’s a cat – other animals will normally keep their babies away from her at all costs – so the likelihood of her being confused is low.)
It’s the same reason that people tend to be nicer to others who look like them – similarity in appearance suggests genetic relationship. It’s still the genes – but they are not perfect.
