Final answer:
The sacrifice of an individual's life for the genetic continuation of relatives is termed kin selection, a type of altruism explained by Richard Dawkins' 'Selfish Gene' theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Altruism in Biological Context
The sacrifice of the life of an individual so that the genes of relatives may be passed on is known as kin selection. This concept is a form of altruism, where an individual acts in a manner that is beneficial to their relatives, even at a cost to themselves. An example includes mammal parents who risk or sacrifice their lives to protect and nurture their offspring. Richard Dawkins introduced the idea of the 'Selfish Gene' to explain these altruistic behaviors, suggesting that genes can indirectly ensure their own survival by promoting the survival of relatives who share those same genes.
Altruism and kin selection are important in understanding evolutionary biology, as they explain why individuals might act in ways that seem to be against their own interests but actually support the propagation of their genes through related individuals. Emperor penguins exhibit this behavior when they endure extreme conditions to feed their young, ensuring their genetic contribution continues to the next generation. The theory of the 'Selfish Gene' has been discussed and debated extensively, contributing significantly to the field of social biology and evolutionary theory.