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Selfish Gene - Preface

#71: Sept. - Oct. 2009 (Non-Fiction)
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Robert Tulip

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Selfish Gene - Preface

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In the Preface to The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins states "We are survival machines - robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes" (p.x) and describes animals as "the most complicated and perfectly designed pieces of machinery in the known universe." (p.xi). These are very provocative comments set against conventional philosophy and religion, but with an acute logic and insight. He goes on to say that he writes The Selfish Gene for three imaginary readers - the general lay reader, the expert and the student. There is much in this book that lay readers at Booktalk can learn from and debate.

The Selfish Gene is a superb book, still as relevant now as when it was published in the 1970s, and perhaps even more provocative now in the light of debates on evolution. My reading is that Dawkins sets out a compelling case to ground philosophy in zoology, essentially saying that the mathematical logic of evolution provides the context to understand morality and reality.

Further useful references are at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene
http://richarddawkins.net/
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DWill

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Re: Selfish Gene - Preface

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Robert Tulip wrote: The Selfish Gene is a superb book, still as relevant now as when it was published in the 1970s, and perhaps even more provocative now in the light of debates on evolution. My reading is that Dawkins sets out a compelling case to ground philosophy in zoology, essentially saying that the mathematical logic of evolution provides the context to understand morality and reality.
Thanks for that intro, Robert. Dawkins' agenda is similar to that of De Waal in broad outline: both would shoulder philosophy aside in favor of the truths of zoology. De Waal, though, disagrees strongly with Dawkins, whom he calls a Veneer Theorist. De Waal insists that genetically we are inclined to be social, cooperative, and finally moral, that we are "good by nature." Dawkins in the early going says that if our genes did have control over our morality, we wouldn't have any. The altruism that we and other animals show is really at the service of gene replication, and the morality we've developed depends on our ability to contradict how our genes would tell us to behave. This is what makes him such a thoroughgoing Veneer Theorist according to De Waal. Dawkins says we have to oppose our nature in order to be good.
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CWT36
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08 31 2009 10:15:32
President Camacho:
For real. He's a cosmologist in the Ptolemic sense of the term.

08 31 2009 10:13:20
President Camacho:
He's the most intelligent - albeit insane - guy I know.

08 31 2009 10:12:43
President Camacho:
you ever see a beautiful mind? Where the smart guy goes f*cking insane? That's Robert Tulip.

08 31 2009 10:12:01
President Camacho:
you ever talk to tulip help? That dude is crazy.

08 31 2009 10:10:22
Wow. That's one hell of an introduction for our leader :P
-Colin

"Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish." -Mark Twain
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CWT36 wrote: Wow. That's one hell of an introduction for our leader :P
Yes, Robert is deserving of such praise if indeed that's what it was. :D

To bring Robert down to earth a bit, you only have to imagine his postings with an Australian accent. Probably something along the lines of Paul Hogan, am I right? And imagine he carries a big knife wherever he goes. You never know when you might be waylaid (that's wi-lied) by a big croc. Crikey!
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CWT36
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geo wrote:
CWT36 wrote: Wow. That's one hell of an introduction for our leader :P
Yes, Robert is deserving of such praise if indeed that's what it was. :D

To bring Robert down to earth a bit, you only have to imagine his postings with an Australian accent. Probably something along the lines of Paul Hogan, am I right? And imagine he carries a big knife wherever he goes. You never know when you might be waylaid (that's wi-lied) by a big croc. Crikey!
Oh man, a cross between John Nash and Paul Hogan. This is getting better all the time! :bananadance:
-Colin

"Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish." -Mark Twain
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Robert Tulip

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President Camacho has long regarded my ideas with intense suspicion. I'm happy to humour him to some extent, but I have never had any problems with my sanity.

John Nash is described at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Forbes_Nash
His work is important for The Selfish Gene, especially regarding evolutionary stable strategies. http://www.stat.psu.edu/news/conference ... milnor.pdf says his major contribution, which led to his Nobel Prize, was to noncooperative game theory. Nash introduced the fundamental concept of equilibrium point: a collection of strategies by the various players such that no one player can improve his outcome by changing only his own strategy.
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Penelope

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That Camacho!!!!!

Shall we gang up on him at playtime for your Robert?

My copy of the Selfish Gene has gone astray in the mail. I paid for it too.

Anyway, now I've ordered another one and that should be with me in a couple of days.

I remember reading reviews about it many moons ago.

Studying children at the age of three in playgroup, I am of the opinion that some children are born kind-hearted and caring and others need to learn.

The Selfish Gene - It's the nature/nurture debate with brass knobs on isn't it?
Only those become weary of angling who bring nothing to it but the idea of catching fish.

He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world is mad....

Rafael Sabatini
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Robert Tulip

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CWT36 wrote:
geo wrote:
CWT36 wrote: Wow. That's one hell of an introduction for our leader :P
Yes, Robert is deserving of such praise if indeed that's what it was. :D

To bring Robert down to earth a bit, you only have to imagine his postings with an Australian accent. Probably something along the lines of Paul Hogan, am I right? And imagine he carries a big knife wherever he goes. You never know when you might be waylaid (that's wi-lied) by a big croc. Crikey!
Oh man, a cross between John Nash and Paul Hogan. This is getting better all the time! :bananadance:
Well... I grew up in Sydney where Paul Hogan was a rigger on the Harbour Bridge and the original ocker Aussie. He advertised Winfield cigarettes to the tune of Tschaikowsky's Fifth Symphony and ran the Paul Hogan Show, and went on to later fame as Crocodile Dundee and tax battler. In 1983 I hitchhiked from Sydney to Uluru and back, and perhaps foolishly carried a knife in my sock for protection, which later reminded me of Hogan. It took me five days to hitchhike from Uluru (reminds me of Paul Simon). At the time I was studying Kant and Plato, who have an affinity with Nash.
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Interbane

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Penny: "The Selfish Gene - It's the nature/nurture debate with brass knobs on isn't it?"

Ha! You're in for a treat Penny, it's a great book. Read it slowly and deliberately, and speak up on booktalk if you disagree with anything. Not that I'm an advocate, it just helps the discussion.
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stahrwe

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Studying children at the age of three in playgroup, I am of the opinion that some children are born kind-hearted and caring and others need to learn.


Penelope,

why do you suppose that is?
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