Altruism evolution is one of the classic issues in evolutionary biology, the solution to which is always related to the levels of natural selection. The group selection theory has experienced the development, deterioration, extinction and resurrection since Darwin used the idea of group selection to explain the altruistic behavior. In the period of deterioration, three influential theories were regarded to evade group selection successfully which explained the evolution of altruism. In 1990s the re- examination of group- selection theory, influenced by multi- cultural trend of thoughts, revealed that individual and group were not contradiction of dual- opposition yet explained the altruism from different perspectives, thus suggesting multi- level selection theory. Group- selection theory and its substitute theory have been included in the new theoretical framework and become the forces of mutual complementation and mutual relations. However, the success of any theory must pass the test of history, the evolution of altruism may also exist in a more profound unified mechanism, and multilevel selection theory will face a further review of future biological development.