The Hamilton Rule

The Hamilton Rule explains when helping relatives (kin) can be beneficial from an evolutionary perspective. It states that an individual will promote the survival of relatives if the genetic benefits outweigh the personal costs. Mathematically, it’s expressed as **r × B > C**, where *r* is the genetic relatedness, *B* is the reproductive benefit to the relative, and *C* is the cost to oneself. Essentially, helping someone close family, like a sibling or child, makes sense if it increases the chances of shared genes being passed on more than if you acted selfishly.