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Summary of The Selfish Gene
Short summary
How does reproduction work among organisms? How have humans evolved over the years? These questions bug the minds of even the greatest philosophers, but you can find answers in this summary of the book “The Selfish Gene.” The author, Richard Dawkins, is an English ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and author. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and a former Professor of the University of Oxford.
“Let us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish. Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to, because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs, something that no other species has ever aspired to do.” ~ Richard Dawkins
16 min
10 key points
11 insights
You’ll learn
- How people and other species can exist
- The reason why people act the way they do
- The mystery behind reproduction
- The theory behind selfishness
Table of content
- Summary of The Selfish Gene
- About the author
- What is The Selfish Gene about?
- Who should read The Selfish Gene
- Topics in The Selfish Gene
first key point
Charles Darwin was the first man to put together enough data to back up his claims on evolution
Listen the first key point
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Before Darwin’s contributions, religion had unsuccessfully tried to explain the origin of man, but no one could do so effectively. Even though Darwin was not the first person to come up with the idea of evolution, he was the first person to bring forward scientific and empirical evidence. His studies show that every species has been able to survive because nature has placed them where they can easily survive.
The survival of the individual organism is a natural selection that makes it easy for organisms to thrive.
He also mentioned that individuals are created with individual traits. Those traits help them stay alive long enough to reproduce and pass on the traits to their offspring.
The environment does not produce a variation that supports survival. Nature is the determinant of the survival of anything. This theory magnifies Darwin’s assertion that nature is survival of the fittest.
The survival of the individual organism is a natural selection that makes it easy for organisms to thrive.
He also mentioned that individuals are created with individual traits. Those traits help them stay alive long enough to reproduce and pass on the traits to their offspring.
The environment does not produce a variation that supports survival. Nature is the determinant of the survival of anything. This theory magnifies Darwin’s assertion that nature is survival of the fittest.
Nature only accounts for individuals who can survive and reproduce.
Darwin also explains how the gene works and how the gene is responsible for evolution. Gene accounts for natural selection, and what people term “selfishness.” He believes that selfishness is not the right way to describe certain actions from individuals. According to him, the gene, and not selfishness or altruism is the reason a mother will protect her children because they share the same genes and DNA.
second key point
The start of biological life on earth remains a theory without absolute proof
Scientists can only come up with a theory on how biological life on earth started, they cannot fully account for how the universe came to be. They believe that the majority of evidence and data they have points to the fact that chemical processes facilitated the production of organic molecules. Dawkins provides a very clear and plausible picture of how this might have happened. He imagines that a molecule learned how to replicate itself, even though it sometimes makes mistakes — known as mutations. This led to variation in the replicas that eventually became the blocks through which biological life is built in the form of DNA.
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third key point
The neurons in the individual system are responsible for nerve reactions in the body
fourth key point
Language is needed to mix and gain control between species
fifth key point
The primary purpose of the selfish gene is to propagate across generations
sixth key point
There’s no natural reason for a parent to favor one child over another
seventh key point
Gametes are present in all sexual species, whether male or female
eighth key point
The survival of an entire group can lead to altruism and selfishness
ninth key point
Tit for Tat is a strategic technique that allows for vengeance and forgiveness
tenth key point
Conclusion
What is The Selfish Gene about?
Who should read The Selfish Gene
Topics in The Selfish Gene
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