The Selfish Gene
Dawkins, Richard. 2006. The Selfish Gene. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, USA.
Rating:
10
Summary:
Should be required reading in high school
I’m more of a sociologist than a biologist, so in many ways I am out of my league here. Nevertheless, I’ll do my best to try to do the book justice.
The book is an examination of genetics and evolution. The basic idea is that genes try to maximize their reproductive ability (they aren’t sentient, their ‘trying’ is natural selection). Humans are really just gene carriers; we function to help the genes replicate. Because genes are only interested in self survival, they are, in essence, selfish. However, humans (among other animals) have the ability to reduce the selfish tendencies of genes through altruistic practices, which generally end up helping the overall reproduction of the species in the end.
Review:
I really can’t say much about this book because I don’t feel qualified to other than to say that it was absolutely fascinating to read it. I wish I could have read it and understood it twenty years ago as well as I understood it reading it now; if I could have my life would have been dramatically different with much less time wasted pursuing rather silly notions about the purpose of life.
The book is written at a level that a high school student who has taken biology should be able to understand most of what is being discussed (that is the extent of my education in biology and I think I understood most of it, though I wouldn’t want to take an exam on it). I believe the author’s intent was to popularize some of the current findings in biology and sociobiology so hoi polloi could have a better overall understanding.
As for the ramifications of the content – the book really is groundbreaking. I think the author says it best, “Intelligent life on a planet comes of age when it first works out the reason for its own existence. If superior creatures from space ever visit earth, the first question they will ask, in order to assess the level of our civilization, is: ‘Have they discovered evolution yet?’” (p. 1) I think that is one of the best openings to a book I’ve ever read. And I think it illustrates just how important it is that people read this book.
If you are devoutly religious, you may not like the book. The author doesn’t really hold much back in his critique of religion. But I can’t blame him as I found the book to be right on the money. But I should also note that his critique of religion is pretty short, so he won’t be incessantly throwing it in your face. I would still encourage everyone to read it, the religious too, but you may not like what the author has to say.
An added bonus to the version I read (1989 version) is that it has notes updating some of the findings since the author’s original incarnation (1976).
Overall, the book is written for average-educated laypeople and it really can change your life. Everyone should read this book. It is a bit difficult to wade through the entire thing, but it truly is worth it.