On the advantages of information sharing

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.