Spotlight on the Genes

Have you ever had that moment when you go, "Aha!" Well, that was me a few minutes ago when I was reading the third chapter "Immortal Coils" of The Selfish Gene. In my earlier blog post, I have asked a few questions that came to my mind while reading the second chapter. One of these questions was "Why is the title of the book The Selfish Gene?" The third chapter pretty much gives you a straight forward answer.

No, I was completely off-track when thinking that the genes were selfish due to their "personality." It has nothing to do with characteristic traits. "The gene is a basic unit of selfishness" (pg 36). When we think about evolution and its process, we normally think about the organisms. They're the ones going through the process; they're the ones evolving into even more complex organisms. What Dawkins is trying to tell us here is that that is NOT the case. It's the genes. Genes are the ones going through all the different survival of competitions between different genes. It's the gene-centered view of evolution where all the genetic material, natural selection, and evolution are considered from the perspective of the genes.

Vocabularies that I did not know in this chapter:

1. cistron = a section of a DNA (or RNA) molecule that codes for specific polypeptide in protein synthesis
2. flotilla = a fleet of ships or boats
3. troupe = a group of dancers, actors, or other entertainers who tour to different venues
4. aggregation = collection; several things grouped together or considered as a whole
5. denizen = an inhabitant or occupant of a particular place
6. altruism = practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others

Exactly what it's NOT suppose to mean...