The Selfish Gene is a 1976 book on evolution by the ethologist Richard Dawkins, in which the author builds upon the principal theory of George C. Williams's Adaptation and Natural Selection (1966). Dawkins uses the term "selfish gene" as a way of expressing the gene-centred view of evolution (as opposed to the views focused on the organism and the group), popularising ideas developed during the 1960s by W. D. Hamilton and others. From the gene-centred view, it follows that the more two individuals are genetically related, the more sense (at the level of the genes) it makes for them to behave cooperatively with each other.
A lineage is expected to evolve to maximise its inclusive fitness—the number of copies of its genes passed on globally (rather than by a particular individual). As a result, populations will tend towards an evolutionarily stable strategy. The book also introduces the term meme for …
The Selfish Gene is a 1976 book on evolution by the ethologist Richard Dawkins, in which the author builds upon the principal theory of George C. Williams's Adaptation and Natural Selection (1966). Dawkins uses the term "selfish gene" as a way of expressing the gene-centred view of evolution (as opposed to the views focused on the organism and the group), popularising ideas developed during the 1960s by W. D. Hamilton and others. From the gene-centred view, it follows that the more two individuals are genetically related, the more sense (at the level of the genes) it makes for them to behave cooperatively with each other.
A lineage is expected to evolve to maximise its inclusive fitness—the number of copies of its genes passed on globally (rather than by a particular individual). As a result, populations will tend towards an evolutionarily stable strategy. The book also introduces the term meme for a unit of human cultural evolution analogous to the gene, suggesting that such "selfish" replication may also model human culture, in a different sense. Memetics has become the subject of many studies since the publication of the book. In raising awareness of Hamilton's ideas, as well as making its own valuable contributions to the field, the book has also stimulated research on human inclusive fitness.In the foreword to the book's 30th-anniversary edition, Dawkins said he "can readily see that [the book's title] might give an inadequate impression of its contents" and in retrospect thinks he should have taken Tom Maschler's advice and called the book The Immortal Gene.In July 2017, a poll to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Royal Society science book prize listed The Selfish Gene as the most influential science book of all time.
Definitely an important book - it's just me who cannot concentrate well enough to actually finish it. Maybe later sometime. Although - I've said that for more than half a year now so - DNF@22%
"Quit being so selfish, Gene!" Jimmy Fallon's fumbled line from SNL's classic "Don't Fear the Reaper" sketch came to mind several times while reading this excellent book. While of course there is little relevance between the two, the more widely known line about cowbells curing fevers does typify a unit of culture for which Dawkins coined the term "meme," which is now itself a meme.
This discussion of memes is what drew me to the book in the first place, but I enjoyed most of the rest of the book even more. There is great food for thought here, most especially the idea that bodies are merely survival machines, constructed and programmed at the whim of the genes inside, sequences of DNA with no purpose other than maximizing their own replication. The genes do this not only by improving their host bodies for their own survival, but also by directing …
"Quit being so selfish, Gene!" Jimmy Fallon's fumbled line from SNL's classic "Don't Fear the Reaper" sketch came to mind several times while reading this excellent book. While of course there is little relevance between the two, the more widely known line about cowbells curing fevers does typify a unit of culture for which Dawkins coined the term "meme," which is now itself a meme.
This discussion of memes is what drew me to the book in the first place, but I enjoyed most of the rest of the book even more. There is great food for thought here, most especially the idea that bodies are merely survival machines, constructed and programmed at the whim of the genes inside, sequences of DNA with no purpose other than maximizing their own replication. The genes do this not only by improving their host bodies for their own survival, but also by directing the bodies to alter their environment and interact with certain other bodies.
Dawkins turns Darwin around, looking at natural selection from the point of view of the gene. The survival of the fittest is just the consequence of which genes find the best method of maintaining their existence.
Along with some very interesting descriptions of biological oddities, such as symbiotic species, Dawkins looks at his selfish gene theory from multiple angles, some of which are surprising. I particularly found the bonus chapter about the Prisoner's Dilemma enthralling, in that a relatively simple set of rules can determine selfish versus altruistic behavior.
This is a great book, especially after reading Darwin. It really allows you to "explore the space."
Things prefer persistence, replication can help persistence, evolution (from copying errors or otherwise) is an inevitable consequence of replication. Our bodies are vehicles for our genes to use to create more copies of themselves. A gene may favor helping a sibling or another relative at times because siblings, parents, and offspring are all just as likely to contain the same gene within them. All replicants share certain properties and memes are an interesting example of these gene-like properties.
Reading "The Selfish Gene" is a classic case of liking the message, disliking the messenger. In general, I did not find anything particularly objectionable to its content and think that Dawkins is probably correct about how evolution works. He explains it in simple, easy-to-understand language and should be read for its ideas.
But I disliked the process of reading the book. The prose rambles and often feels like it was dictated and then transcribed. And I'll admit that ultimately, I found Dawkins' arrogance to be off-putting. He is truly convinced that this story is sufficient to construct a world-view. I do not begrudge him his beliefs and I do believe there should be a strong, vocal humanist/atheist movement. But I believe that this movement is weighed down by Dawkins' success. He is just as fundamentalist and dogmatic as those he criticizes.
What does make reading "The Selfish Gene" fascinating is …
Reading "The Selfish Gene" is a classic case of liking the message, disliking the messenger. In general, I did not find anything particularly objectionable to its content and think that Dawkins is probably correct about how evolution works. He explains it in simple, easy-to-understand language and should be read for its ideas.
But I disliked the process of reading the book. The prose rambles and often feels like it was dictated and then transcribed. And I'll admit that ultimately, I found Dawkins' arrogance to be off-putting. He is truly convinced that this story is sufficient to construct a world-view. I do not begrudge him his beliefs and I do believe there should be a strong, vocal humanist/atheist movement. But I believe that this movement is weighed down by Dawkins' success. He is just as fundamentalist and dogmatic as those he criticizes.
What does make reading "The Selfish Gene" fascinating is that we can see the seeds of Dawkins' later activism and how deeply tied into his academic work those beliefs can be. Worth reading for its ideas if you can get past its prose and style.
The Selfish Gene was originally published in 1976 and remains a brilliant, amazing explanation and perspective on evolution at a gene level. It's also the book wherein the word "meme" is invented. I'd read this decades ago of course, back in the 80s and I highly recommend that everyone should read it.
That said, I am now listening to the audio book version of the updated edition, and I really don't recommend that, which is why not 5 stars. The problem with the audio book is that footnotes just don't work. And the updated edition is absolutely full of footnotes that interrupt the main text. Dawkins decided to get around this problem in the audiobook by having a female narrator read the main text and by interrupting in his own voice with the footnotes. Sounds good in theory, but it makes it really hard to follow the chapters if you …
The Selfish Gene was originally published in 1976 and remains a brilliant, amazing explanation and perspective on evolution at a gene level. It's also the book wherein the word "meme" is invented. I'd read this decades ago of course, back in the 80s and I highly recommend that everyone should read it.
That said, I am now listening to the audio book version of the updated edition, and I really don't recommend that, which is why not 5 stars. The problem with the audio book is that footnotes just don't work. And the updated edition is absolutely full of footnotes that interrupt the main text. Dawkins decided to get around this problem in the audiobook by having a female narrator read the main text and by interrupting in his own voice with the footnotes. Sounds good in theory, but it makes it really hard to follow the chapters if you don't already know and understand the topic. In addition, while Dawkins is undeniably an amazingly brilliant scientist, he's also quite a conceited jerk on a personal level. Many of his footnotes aren't even updated facts at all, they're just him taking the opportunity to respond to critics of the original book by pointing out how they're all wrong. I wasn't two chapters in before I was super annoyed at his voice constantly interrupting the narration to say things like "Stephen J Gould critiqued my point here but clearly he completely failed to notice I already made the same argument he did in chapter 8" or similar.
So, absolutely read the book, and pick up the updated edition in print if you want the latest revisions, but definitely avoid the audiobook form unless you can find the original edition.
You don't really understand evolution until you read this book. Probably the best thing I can say about it is that it makes the thing we call "life" -- usually described as this ethereal force or spark -- far more concrete than one thought possible. Read this, then read The Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner, and then this whole thing we call evolution will make sense on the micro and macro level.
You may think you understand the theory of evolution, but if you’re like most people, you probably have profound misunderstandings about the theory. Reading this book will get you back on the right track. The theory of evolution still hasn’t been absorbed by consensus reality, and this is too bad, because it has a lot to teach us about who we are, what we’re doing here, and what the nature of life and our environment must be.