The Selfish GeneRichard Dawkins' brilliant reformulation of the theory of natural selection has the rare distinction of having provoked as much excitement and interest outside the scientific community as within it. His theories have helped change the whole nature of the study of social biology, and have forced thousands of readers to rethink their beliefs about life. In his internationally bestselling, now classic volume, The Selfish Gene, Dawkins explains how the selfish gene can also be a subtle gene. The world of the selfish gene revolves around savage competition, ruthless exploitation, and deceit, and yet, Dawkins argues, acts of apparent altruism do exist in nature. Bees, for example, will commit suicide when they sting to protect the hive, and birds will risk their lives to warn the flock of an approaching hawk. This revised edition of Dawkins' fascinating book contains two new chapters. One, entitled "Nice Guys Finish First," demonstrates how cooperation can evolve even in a basically selfish world. The other new chapter, entitled "The Long Reach of the Gene," which reflects the arguments presented in Dawkins' The Extended Phenotype, clarifies the startling view that genes may reach outside the bodies in which they dwell and manipulate other individuals and even the world at large. Containing a wealth of remarkable new insights into the biological world, the second edition once again drives home the fact that truth is stranger than fiction. |
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there are torn pages
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All 8 reviews »Must read book, whether your an aspiring biologist (in which case you been viewing things totally wrong) or just a curious observer (in which case you'll still completely enjoy it).
Using brilliant, easy-to-follow prose and solid 'intuitive' arguments, Dawkins not only changes your perspective on Bio but on philosophy and the very question of life itself.
Must read IMO. Be wary of the wildly-varying editions though...
Contents
Why are people? | 1 |
The replicators | 12 |
Immortal coils | 21 |
The gene machine | 46 |
Aggression stability and the selfish machine | 66 |
Genesmanship | 88 |
Family planning | 109 |
Batde of the generations | 123 |
You scratch my back Ill ride on yours | 166 |
Memes the new replicators | 189 |
Nice guys finish first | 202 |
The long reach of the gene | 234 |
Endnotes | 267 |
333 | |
345 | |
Battle of the sexes | 140 |
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Common terms and phrases
actually advantage altruism animals average become behaviour benefit better birds body brothers called cells chance chapter cheats child chromosome cooperation copies cost cuckoo Defect effect eggs equal evolution evolutionary evolve example expect fact favour female fight future gene pool genes genetic give happen hawk human idea important individual influence instance interesting investment kind least less living look machines males mate matter means meme molecules mother natural selection nest organism original parasites parents particular perhaps plants play population possible probably reason replicators reproduction rival rule seems selfish selfish gene sense sexual sexual reproduction share simply single social species stable strategy successful suppose survival machines tend theory things Tit for Tat true turn unit whole workers young