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The Selfish Gene Presentation

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins posits that natural selection operates at the gene level, portraying organisms as vehicles for gene propagation. It introduces concepts like kin selection, memes, and the Extended Phenotype, reshaping our understanding of evolution and behavior. The book has significantly influenced various fields beyond biology, despite facing criticism for oversimplifying evolutionary processes.

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131 views11 pages

The Selfish Gene Presentation

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins posits that natural selection operates at the gene level, portraying organisms as vehicles for gene propagation. It introduces concepts like kin selection, memes, and the Extended Phenotype, reshaping our understanding of evolution and behavior. The book has significantly influenced various fields beyond biology, despite facing criticism for oversimplifying evolutionary processes.

Uploaded by

rehands551
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THE

SELFISH
GENE
BY RICHARD DAWKINGS
Introduction to Richard
Dawkins and The Selfish
Gene
• "The Selfish Gene" argues that natural selection operates at the level of genes, not individuals or species.
• Introduces the idea that organisms are "survival machines" for their genes.
• Published in 1976, it revolutionized the way we think about evolution and natural selection.
• About Richard Dawkins:
• Background: Richard Dawkins is an English evolutionary biologist, ethologist, and author.
• He studied zoology at Balliol College, Oxford, under Nobel Prize-winning ethologist Nikolaas Tinbergen.
• Dawkins is known for his work on gene-centred evolution and for popularizing science with a focus on the
gene's role in natural selection.
• Significance:
• Dawkins' work brought evolutionary theory to a wider audience, influencing fields beyond biology,
including psychology, sociology, and philosophy.
• He is a strong advocate for atheism and secularism, which also appears in some of his later works, such
as The God Delusion.
Key Concepts: Gene-Centred
View of Evolution
• Gene-Centred Evolution:
• Traditional view: Natural selection favours the survival of species
and individuals.
• Dawkins' view: Genes are the fundamental units of selection; they
"use" organisms to propagate themselves.
• Survival Machines:
• Organisms are seen as vehicles that carry and transmit genes to
the next generation.
• Emphasizes that the gene’s goal is replication and survival.
The Selfish Gene vs. Altruism

• Selfish Genes:
• Genes "act" in their own interest, not in the interest of the organism.
• Example: A gene that causes an organism to behave in ways that
enhance the survival of the gene will be more likely to be passed on.
• Altruism:
• Introduces the paradox of altruistic behaviour in nature, such as
animals sacrificing themselves for others.
• Dawkins explains it through concepts like kin selection (helping
relatives) and reciprocal altruism.
Kin Selection and Inclusive
Fitness
• Kin Selection:
• Genes promote the survival of close relatives to ensure the
survival of shared genetic material.
• Example: A bee will sacrifice itself to protect its hive because it
shares genes with the queen.
• Inclusive Fitness:
• The total genetic contribution of an individual, including
relatives helped through altruistic behavior.
Memes: Cultural Evolution

• Introduction of Memes:
• Richard Dawkins first coined the term 'meme' and compared it to
genes in their behaviours.
• Dawkins introduces the concept of memes as units of cultural
evolution, similar to how genes operate in biological evolution.
• Memes are ideas, behaviours, or styles that spread within a culture.
• Cultural Evolution:
• Memes replicate and evolve through imitation and selection, just as
genes do through reproduction.
The Extended Phenotype

• Extended Phenotype (Concept


from Later Work):
• The idea that an organism’s behaviour
and physical traits can influence its
environment in ways that enhance the
survival of its genes.
• Example: A beaver’s dam or a spider’s
web is an extended phenotype
because these behaviours and
structures directly help gene
propagation.
The Evolutionary Stable
Strategy (ESS)
• ESS Explained:
• An Evolutionarily Stable Strategy is a
strategy that, if adopted by a
population, cannot be invaded by any
alternative strategy.
• Example: In the context of animal
behaviour, cooperation and conflict
can evolve as ESS depending on the
circumstances.
• Example: The hawk-dove game
model in evolutionary theory.
The Legacy of The Selfish
Gene
• Impact:
• Revolutionized evolutionary biology by shifting focus from individuals
and species to genes.
• Changed the way scientists, students, and the public understand
natural selection and behaviour.
• Criticism:
• Some argue the gene-centred view oversimplifies evolutionary
processes.
• Others critique the metaphor of "selfishness" as misleading, as genes
do not "think."
Conclusion and Reflection

• Key Takeaways:
• The gene is the central unit of evolution.
• The book shifts our perspective from seeing organisms as the main
players in evolution to understanding them as vessels for gene survival.
• Dawkins introduces new ideas like memes and ESS, influencing both
biology and sociology.
• Reflection:
• "The Selfish Gene" challenges us to think about evolution not just as a
biological phenomenon but also as a cultural one.
Any Questions?

Feel free to ask any questions Thank you all so much for taking
about this presentation. the time to listen to this
presentation.

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