I have just read this article on E. O. Wilson and I don't understand what the difference is between what he is arguing and "standard" natural selection.
I read "the extended phenotype" some years ago and from what I vaguely remember that argued that everything about selection comes down to genes: they are the units of what is inherited and drive everything else (and their reach can be quite surprising). At first glance that seems inconsistent with the article, since it mentions "group selection". But when you read the details it includes things like
Group selection begins when a colony of creatures develops a behaviour that gives it a competitive advantage over other groups. Initially, this could be down to a random genetic mutation.
which sounds like it's gene-based too (and examples seem to come from ants and the like which I thought were closely genetically-related across a colony too...).
So what is the fuss about? And how will it be resolved?
Maybe the difference is easier to explain in terms of some difference between mathematical models? If so, that's fine (I hope - it might make more sense than jargon in a field I am unfamiliar with ;o).
[Is this too "general public" for this site? Apologies if so.]