On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 22:32:45 +0000 (UTC), "Meg" 
wrote:

>Ever since I learned about sexual selection and altruistic behaviour, I've
>wanted to know what the motivation behind the drive to propagate genes
>is...Can someone enlighten me?
>

Are you sure there is a drive to propagate genes?  There certainly is
a drive to have sex, a behavior pattern that very frequently results
in the propagation of genes.  However, very few species of organisms
realize that genes are involved.

More seriously, are you indeed serious about your question?   About
the first thing I say in my first intro biology lecture of the term is
my "Norman's Two Fundamental Laws of Biology":  
  (1)  All things die
  (2)  Life perpetuates

The whole key to biology is reproduction, a process that involves the
imperfect copying of the genetic information, hence evolution, hence
biology.  Without reproduction there is no life.  If the trend to
reproduce is not built into the behavior repertoire (of animals) or
the developmental repertoire (of other things), there is no life.
Hence it really does not make sense to ask why there is a "drive" to
reproduce.
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