The Gene-Centered View of Evolution
Before Dawkins, popular descriptions of evolution often spoke of animals doing things 'for the good of the species.' This is wrong. Natural selection operates on the unit that is faithfully copied — the gene. Genes that cause their vehicle (organism) to reproduce more proliferate; those that don't, disappear. The organism is not the agent of selection — it is the gene's way of making more copies of itself.
Altruism Explained
The gene-centered view explains apparent altruism without requiring group selection. Kin selection (Hamilton's rule) predicts that organisms will sacrifice for relatives in proportion to genetic relatedness: a gene promoting altruism toward relatives spreads because copies of that gene exist in those relatives. Dawkins explains this memorably: you share 50% of your genes with a sibling — a gene 'should' help a sibling if the benefit to the sibling exceeds twice the cost to yourself.
The Meme
In the book's final chapter, Dawkins coined 'meme' to describe cultural replicators: ideas, tunes, fashions that propagate by being copied from mind to mind, with variation and selection. He intended it as a thought experiment about cultural evolution. The internet turned it into a word for funny internet images — a divergence he has lamented.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main argument of The Selfish Gene?
Dawkins argues that natural selection operates at the level of the gene, not the organism or species. Organisms are 'survival machines' built by genes to propagate themselves. Evolution is best understood as gene-level competition, not organism-level competition.
What is a meme according to Dawkins?
Dawkins coined 'meme' in 1976 as the cultural analog of a gene — a unit of cultural information (idea, tune, fashion, behavior) that propagates by being copied from mind to mind. It has since been applied far beyond his original meaning, particularly to internet humor.
Did Dawkins invent the selfish gene idea?
The gene-centered view of evolution was developed primarily by George Williams (Adaptation and Natural Selection, 1966) and W.D. Hamilton (kin selection, 1964). Dawkins synthesized and popularized these ideas with exceptional clarity in The Selfish Gene, making them accessible to a global audience.
