Cancer is an instance of the tension you’re describing erupting into open rebellion as a lineage of cells starts over-consuming resources to the detriment of th

Cancer is an instance of the tension you’re describing erupting into open rebellion as a lineage of cells starts over-consuming resources to the detriment of the organism (and all the other cell lineages contained in the organism). I’m not sure what your depth of knowledge is with regard to genetics and evolution, but a fruitful google search might be “germ line vs somatic cells”. This tension also exists at the level of DNA, with some fragments of DNA replicating themselves willy nilly all over the genome, rather than merely being replicated through the normal mechanism. And regarding the game theory: I think the typical thinking is that incentives are dependent on the mode of replication. If something replicates only when the organism creates offspring, then it tends to work harmoniously with the rest of the organism to further this goal. If it replicates via a different mechanism, such as a parasite or disease, then it tends to be uncooperative in collective endeavors.