The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary Edition--with a new Introduction by the Author
by: Richard Dawkins
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Amazon.com Review:
Inheriting the mantle of revolutionary biologist from Darwin, Watson, and Crick, Richard Dawkins forced an enormous change in the way we seeourselves and the world with the publication of The SelfishGene. Suppose, instead of thinking about organisms using genes toreproduce themselves, as we had since Mendel's work was rediscovered, weturn it around and imagine that "our" genes build and maintain us inorder to make more genes. That simple reversal seems to answer manypuzzlers which had stumped scientists for years, and we haven't thoughtof evolution in the same way since.
Why are there miles and miles of "unused" DNA within each of ourbodies? Why should a bee give up its own chance to reproduce to helpraise her sisters and brothers? With a prophet's clarity, Dawkins toldus the answers from the perspective of molecules competing for limitedspace and resources to produce more of their own kind. Drawingfascinating examples from every field of biology, he paved the way for aserious re-evaluation of evolution. He also introduced the concept ofself-reproducing ideas, or memes, which (seemingly) use humansexclusively for their propagation. If we are puppets, he says, at leastwe can try to understand our strings. --Rob Lightner
Product Description:
Richard 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 30th anniversary edition of Dawkins' fascinating book retains all original material, including the two enlightening chapters added in the second edition. In a new Introduction the author presents his thoughts thirty years after the publication of his first and most famous book, while the inclusion of the two-page original Foreword by brilliant American scientist Robert Trivers shows the enthusiastic reaction of the scientific community at that time. This edition is a celebration of a remarkable exposition of evolutionary thought, a work that has been widely hailed for its stylistic brilliance and deep scientific insights, and that continues to stimulate whole new areas of research today.
Inheriting the mantle of revolutionary biologist from Darwin, Watson, and Crick, Richard Dawkins forced an enormous change in the way we seeourselves and the world with the publication of The SelfishGene. Suppose, instead of thinking about organisms using genes toreproduce themselves, as we had since Mendel's work was rediscovered, weturn it around and imagine that "our" genes build and maintain us inorder to make more genes. That simple reversal seems to answer manypuzzlers which had stumped scientists for years, and we haven't thoughtof evolution in the same way since.
Why are there miles and miles of "unused" DNA within each of ourbodies? Why should a bee give up its own chance to reproduce to helpraise her sisters and brothers? With a prophet's clarity, Dawkins toldus the answers from the perspective of molecules competing for limitedspace and resources to produce more of their own kind. Drawingfascinating examples from every field of biology, he paved the way for aserious re-evaluation of evolution. He also introduced the concept ofself-reproducing ideas, or memes, which (seemingly) use humansexclusively for their propagation. If we are puppets, he says, at leastwe can try to understand our strings. --Rob Lightner
Product Description:
Richard 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 30th anniversary edition of Dawkins' fascinating book retains all original material, including the two enlightening chapters added in the second edition. In a new Introduction the author presents his thoughts thirty years after the publication of his first and most famous book, while the inclusion of the two-page original Foreword by brilliant American scientist Robert Trivers shows the enthusiastic reaction of the scientific community at that time. This edition is a celebration of a remarkable exposition of evolutionary thought, a work that has been widely hailed for its stylistic brilliance and deep scientific insights, and that continues to stimulate whole new areas of research today.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- It's a metaphor, people
Dawkins started writing "The Selfish Gene" in 1972. With the ever accelerating advances in science, one would think such a book would be horribly outdated by now, but I found this to not be the case at all.
I'm halfway through my undergrad studying Biology and Chemistry, so I'm not an expert in the field (yet), but I'm not the "layman" reader that Dawkins had in mind when writing this either. I found it to be quite interesting and educational. I wasn't exactly burning through every page, ... Read More
Rating: 
- Not worth your time
I was assigned to read this book for an intro level biology class as an ungrad. I majored in anthropology so I figured I would at least slightly like the book...wrong. Dawkins essentially repeats the same argument over and over for the majority of the book. A wise professor once told me that any good reader will eventually throw a book across a room someday, and that was this book for me.
Rating: 
- Very Informational!
This book is a great read for biologists as well as people curious about biology.It is written in a way where anyone can understand the logic and makes you think about what the author is saying.I would recommend this book to people interested in natural selection and the natural world.
Rating: - Essential reading - - and fun besides
After 30 years, these groundbreaking insights in evolution stand out as a major landmark. I don't know if this is now required reading in colleges, but it probably should be. A graduate in the sciences who hadn't fully grokked these ideas is a poorly educated graduate indeed.
I also enjoyed the introduction to game theory.
The anniversary addition features an opening section in which Dawkins slices up a few of his detractors with classic British wit. Like the main content of ... Read More
Rating: - Evolutionary Behaviorism Masquerading as Genetic Theory
In a book entitled "The Selfish Gene" purporting to prove the theory of blind genetic control over animal behavior, the first thing the reader expects is a discussion of genetic mechanisms and the biochemical interaction between said genes and behavior.To this point, I find it odd that only in the first chapter, and only over several paragraphs at that, does Dawkins discuss the A,C,G,T mainframe and protein synthesis.
From what I can tell, Dawkins suffers from the basest of Philosophical ... Read More
- It's a metaphor, peopleDawkins started writing "The Selfish Gene" in 1972. With the ever accelerating advances in science, one would think such a book would be horribly outdated by now, but I found this to not be the case at all.
I'm halfway through my undergrad studying Biology and Chemistry, so I'm not an expert in the field (yet), but I'm not the "layman" reader that Dawkins had in mind when writing this either. I found it to be quite interesting and educational. I wasn't exactly burning through every page, ... Read More
- Not worth your timeI was assigned to read this book for an intro level biology class as an ungrad. I majored in anthropology so I figured I would at least slightly like the book...wrong. Dawkins essentially repeats the same argument over and over for the majority of the book. A wise professor once told me that any good reader will eventually throw a book across a room someday, and that was this book for me.
- Very Informational!This book is a great read for biologists as well as people curious about biology.It is written in a way where anyone can understand the logic and makes you think about what the author is saying.I would recommend this book to people interested in natural selection and the natural world.
- Essential reading - - and fun besidesAfter 30 years, these groundbreaking insights in evolution stand out as a major landmark. I don't know if this is now required reading in colleges, but it probably should be. A graduate in the sciences who hadn't fully grokked these ideas is a poorly educated graduate indeed.
I also enjoyed the introduction to game theory.
The anniversary addition features an opening section in which Dawkins slices up a few of his detractors with classic British wit. Like the main content of ... Read More
- Evolutionary Behaviorism Masquerading as Genetic TheoryIn a book entitled "The Selfish Gene" purporting to prove the theory of blind genetic control over animal behavior, the first thing the reader expects is a discussion of genetic mechanisms and the biochemical interaction between said genes and behavior.To this point, I find it odd that only in the first chapter, and only over several paragraphs at that, does Dawkins discuss the A,C,G,T mainframe and protein synthesis.
From what I can tell, Dawkins suffers from the basest of Philosophical ... Read More
