Clearly I'm no expert in the field, but I've no understood the objections to group selection. From what I've read, the objector claim that genes get selected a

Clearly I'm no expert in the field, but I've no understood the objections to group selection. From what I've read, the objector claim that genes get selected and this slection necessarily passes by reproduction which is done on an individual basis. Yet, especially inthe example of ants, two neighbour colonies of ants of the same specie might have a queen with different genes and if the difference grant and advantages the one with the better gene pool with spawn other similar colonies which woudl supplant the inferior one. In each colonies, non-reproductive ants with the better gene don't reproduce themselves but yet it's their better genes that supplant the neighbouring colonies. The queen does no work other than lay eggs, so it does not not contribute the the higher success rate ofthe colonies. Clearly, the behaviour of non-reproducing ants has a direct influence on the gene pool. For example, the better gene might make better warrior ants. They don't reproduce themselves, yet the gene helps the colonies. The same argument could be made of two wolf packs, or any two competing group. Of course, in those case, you can look at it at an individual level, but the better gene will sprad at the group level. (Ignoring if a wolf could switch pack to spread the gene to the other pack. I'm here assuming this doesn't happen for the sake of the argument.) The more social the species, the more the group-level genes can influence the chances of reproductions of those not harboring the gene but part of the group, which make the group more successful, which eventually will make the gene spread in the group through gene exchange and selection during reproduction. For example, if the gene leads to better caring between individuals, it benefits the entire group harboring individual with that traits and eventually the group with the highest percentage of that gene will win out.