Final answer:
The answer to the question is False because altruistic behavior according to Hamilton's rule also considers the genetic relatedness between the actor and the recipient, not just the benefit and the cost.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'According to Hamilton's rule, if the benefit to the recipient is greater than the cost to the actor then altruistic behavior will result?' can be misleading. According to Hamilton's rule, altruistic behavior will occur when the genetic benefits to the recipient, weighted by the coefficient of relatedness (the probability that a gene is shared by both the actor and the recipient), exceed the costs to the actor. Therefore, the answer is False when considering the question as stated because Hamilton's rule takes into account not just the benefit and the cost but also the degree of genetic relatedness.
Altruism is a complex subject within evolutionary biology that tries to explain how self-sacrificial behavior can evolve. The act of altruism can sometimes appear counterintuitive because it involves an individual performing an action that benefits another at a potential cost to themselves. This concept is founded on the theory that some genes can increase in frequency within a population when they increase the survival or reproductive success of relatives who also carry the gene, which might be termed 'inclusive fitness.'