The Selfish Gene

A given gene will have many different effects on quite different parts of the body.

The life-span of a chromosome is one generation. What about the life-span of a smaller genetic unit, say 1/100 of the length of your chromosome? This unit too came from your father, but it very probably was not originally assembled in him.

The genes are the immortals, or rather, they are defined as genetic entities that come close to deserving the title.

The basic unit of natural selection is best regarded...as some small unit of genetic material which it is convenient to label the gene.

An entity, such as a baboon, is said to be altruistic if it behaves in such a way as to increase another such entity's welfare at the expense of its own.

My definition is concerned only with whether the effect of an act is to lower or raise the survival prospects of the presumed altruist and the survival prospects of the presumed beneficiary.

If we find that our expectation is wrong, if we observe that human behavior is truly altruistic, then we shall be faced with something puzzling, something that needs explaining.

The commonest and most conspicuous acts of animal altruism are done by parents, especially mothers, towards their children.

We may frequently behave selfishly as individuals, but in our more idealistic moments we honour and admire those who put the welfare of others first.

You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours