1001 Books for Every Mood - Readers Guide

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

We cut in line, exploit our assets to get ahead, lie to protect our children. Now we can blame a gene. The selfish gene, sociobiologist Dawkins argues, is the one we should credit for self-serving behaviors that ensure our survival and the survival of those we care about. No, he argues, evolution does not work for the good of all. This was Dawkins first big book; he’s gone on to become religion’s modern gadfly.

--1001 Books for Every Mood

Readers Guide by Barbara Fournier

Overview

The Selfish Gene is a science book written for the public. Richard Dawkins, a world famous zoologist, argues that evolution is not survival of the best adapted species, or even individual but is rather survival of the best adapted gene. His thesis is mind-boggling and will change the way you think about everything!

In this book about evolution, Dawkins theorizes that we are all “bags of genes” in which individual genes are competing for reproductive success. He examines issues such as the interplay between aggression and altruism, and why male and female reproductive strategies differ. Is sibling rivalry inevitable? Is there a battle of the generations? Do parents have “favorites” and if so why? How do our genetics influence our family planning strategies? And do our genes predispose us to be cheaters, suckers or grudgers?

Using fun terms (such as the ones previously employed), Dawkins provokes us into re-examining the role of biology in the decisions we believe to be products of our culture and upbringing. You will not look at life the same way after reading this absorbing, and challenging, book.

Discussion Questions

1. Millions of years ago, giraffes were smaller and had shorter necks. How would Darwin explain the change? How might we have evolved from apes or ape-like beings using a similar analysis?

2. Dawkins and other evolutionary psychologists see the most important thing as passing on as many genes as possible over the long term (what they call reproductive success). How important is it that your genes be passed on not only to your children, but to your grandchildren and their children and so on?

3. Why does Dawkins call his book The Selfish Gene? How does it feel to think of yourself as a container that genes use to replicate themselves?

4. In the chapter on Aggression (Chapter 5), Dawkins talks about a cost-benefit ratio between fighting and cooperating. Do we consciously or unconsciously compute which strategy is likely to be in our own best interest? Do women behave less aggressively because we are “more cooperative” or because given our limited physical strength it is a more effective way of getting what we want?

5. Evolutionary psychologists believe that we are more likely to help those who look most like us because we “think” they are more likely to share our genes. Have you ever felt that you are kinder to strangers who look like you than those of a different race? Do you care more about problems in countries where the people are more similar to your own background? Is this “racism” totally learned or is there a biological root?

6. Chapter 7 (Family Planning) is about two strategies: having few children with a lot of caring or having many children with little caring (think of an elephant versus a fish). He suggests the species, and individuals within them, calculate which will lead to the most reproductive success. How did you decide how many children to have? How do you feel about supporting people who have children they can’t care for?

7. In Chapter 8 (The Battle of the Generations), Dawkins talks about sibling rivalry, parental favoritism and parental investment. Do you know parents who favor one child above the others? Do you think it is because it increases their reproductive success or are there other reasons? What about cultures in which everything goes to the first born son or in which daughters are considered less valuable than sons?

8. Chapter 9 (Battle of the Sexes) is one of the most controversial positions taken by evolutionary psychologists. They suggest that it is in women’s genetic interest to be selective because their parental investment is so high. It is in men’s interest to have two strategies – one is to impregnate anyone and walk away, and the other is to commit to someone after ensuring they will be faithful. Do you think men are more willing to have one-night stands than women? Do men still have a double-standard and reject as marriage partners women who are seen as “easy”? Is this purely the result of our society or is it biologically influenced?

9. Dawkins says that the greatest female fear is being abandoned, and the greatest male fear is being cuckolded (that is, raising someone else’s child as his own). Is this why women are often so jealous of other women and hostile to those who sleep around? Is this why men try to control women’s sexuality, so that they can ensure their own paternity?

10. In Chapter 10 (You Scratch My Back, I’ll Ride on Yours) Dawkins talks about three hypothetical strategies: Suckers, Cheaters and Grudgers. Do you know people in each of these three groups? Which does he think does better in the long run? What’s your experience?

11. If you accept that we are biologically influenced to act in certain ways, do we still have to? And are we morally excused from behaving in these ways (my genes made me do it)? Critics of evolutionary psychology believe it justifies sexism, racism and selfishness. Do you agree?

About the Author

Richard Dawkins is a Fellow at the University of Oxford. The Selfish Gene was his first book, published in 1976, and became an immediate bestseller. A New York Times article about his work commented: "by force of rigorous analysis and clear writing, [Dr. Dawkins] taught a generation of biologists how to think about evolution." His most controversial work is The God Delusion (2007) which asserts that a believe in God is irrational.

If You Liked This...

Here are some books to try next.

Among other books by Richard Dawkins--

The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design
River Out of Eden

For a collection of essays about The Selfish Gene and its impact, see:

Richard Dawkins: How a Scientist Changed the Way We Think

Books that explore related content--

Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life by Robert Wright
The Tangled Wing: Biological Constraints on the Human Spirit by Melvin Konner

For interested readers: Richard Dawkins has his own website, which
includes a list of his speaking engagements. Or hear an online interview.

You may also be interested in the Genographic Project. Dr. Spencer Wells is the principal investigator of a project which seeks to trace genes through centuries of migration. For a fee, you can order a genetic test (it involves swabbing the inside of your mouth) and you can find out where your distant relatives originated.

Barbara Fournier, PhD

Barbara Fournier teaches psychology at Curry College in Milton, MA. Her areas of specialization include cognitive and emotional development of children and adolescents. She is an avid and nearly omnivorous reader.