During the evolution of life, there have been several transitions in which
individuals began to cooperate, forming higher levels of organization, and
sometimes losing their independent reproductive identity For example, multi
cellularity and insect societies evolved independently multiple times. Seve
ral factors that confer evolutionary advantages on higher levels of organiz
ation have been proposed. In this paper we highlight one additional factor:
the sharing of information between individuals. Information sharing is not
subject to the intrinsic conservation laws that characterize the sharing o
f physical resources. A simple model will illustrate how information sharin
g can result in aggregates in which the individuals both receive more infor
mation about their environment and pay less for it. This may have played a
role in the evolution of higher levels of organization.