as well the biologist Jerry Coyne s review of one of D S Wilson s books wherein he takes him to task re group selection Group selection isn t widely accepted by evolutionists for several reasons First it s not an efficient way to select for traits like altruistic behavior that are supposed to be detrimental to the individual but good for the group Groups divide to form other groups much less often than organisms reproduce to form other organisms so group selection for altruism would be unlikely to override the tendency of each group to quickly lose its altruists through natural selection favoring cheaters Further we simply have little evidence that selection on groups has promoted the evolution of any trait Finally other more plausible evolutionary forces like direct selection on individuals for reciprocal support could have made us prosocial These reasons explain why only a few biologists like Wilson and E O Wilson no relation advocate group selection as the evolutionary source of cooperation