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Richard Dawkins - The Selfish Gene (2nd Hand Paperback)
SKU B004121
Original price
£3.45
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Original price
£3.45
Original price
£3.45
£3.45
-
£3.45
Current price
£3.45
Synopsis
"The Selfish Gene" is a provocative title, but gets to the essence of the big idea. DNA is a type of "replicator", a special type of molecule that copies itself. Because DNA "wants" to make copies of itself, it "uses" survival machines - us, other animals, all living organisms - to make as many copies of itself as possible.
Thus genes - which Dawkins loosely defines as segments of DNA responsible for some behaviour - are "selfish" because they want to copy themselves as much as possible. This may involve co-operating with other genes.
While the gene is the centre of this story, Dawkins looks at individual organisms and groups of organisms to make the examples concrete. This personification goes a long way. We go on a tour of aggression, kinship - including offspring, mates, interaction with other species and see how various things can be explained under the selfish gene hypothesis.
Powerful ideas from other disciplines, like game theory are used to support the claims. For example, the prisoner's dilemma can be one way of highlighting why reciprocal altruism might exist.
Way ahead of his time, Dawkins identifies another replicator - the "meme", now part of everyday speech, as a kind of cultural idea that spreads rapidly between minds. He then posits that replication might just be one of the fundamental aspects of life anywhere in the universe, which is an interesting thing to ponder.
Details
- Format : Standard 2nd Hand Paperback
- Condition : Good
- Category : Non-Fiction - Science & Technology
- Published : 1976 (This Edition 1989 - Oxford University Press)
- ISBN : 9780192860927
- SKU : B004121
- PPC : SP300gm
- RRP : £8.99
- Quantity Available : 1 only.
External Reviews
"This book was hugely enjoyable to read. It is very well written - concepts are elaborated clearly and vivid, and fascinating examples of the natural world are frequently provided. It made me see the world in a very different way - not necessarily worse or better. After all, Dawkins points out that he is describing the truth, not prescribing values. He is optimistic and says that human altruism can of course be pure. Our minds may be free of the shackles of our genetic programming. To conclude, this is one of the most thought-provoking books I've ever read, and I will definitely re-visit it." - H.P.J.M.
"Science need not be dull and bogged down by jargon, as Richard Dawkins proves in this entertaining look at evolution. The themes he takes up are the concepts of altruistic and selfish behaviour; the genetical definition of selfish interest; the evolution of aggressive behaviour; kinship theory; sex ratio theory; reciprocal altruism; deceit; and the natural selection of sex differences. 'Should be read, can be read by almost anyone. It describes with great skill a new face of the theory of evolution.' - W.D. Hamilton.
The Author
Richard Dawkins FRS FRSL is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and author. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was the University of Oxford's Professor for Public Understanding of Science from 1995 until 2008.
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