The Selfish Gene

d0rkyd00d · June 19, 2009, 6:05pm

I just started reading it, and I’m at the very beginning, but was wondering if anybody would like to participate in a discussion about it.

A lot of it is going over my head, so I’m wondering what parts should I pay careful attention to? What is the current view of this book?

Tab · June 19, 2009, 6:32pm

Great book. Read it, but don’t read anything else by Dawkins, except maybe “the extended phenotype”. Then read “The Red Queen”. Then read “Evolution in four dimensions” and maybe “survival of the sickest”.

Then you’ll be up to date and firing on all evolutionary cylinders.

If there’s anything you don’t get, post it up and I’ll help.

Xunzian · June 19, 2009, 7:02pm

I’ve only sorta skimmed the text but if you have any questions about the biology feel free to ask!

d0rkyd00d · June 22, 2009, 7:21pm

I just wanted to keep on posting interesting tidbits I’ve read about, and if you have any input feel free to contribute.

I’ve wondered about old age and death (which doesn’t seem good for natural selection), and Dawkins has just addressed this. He talks about how genes exert their maximum effect on bodies at different stages of life. Even if those genes that begin acting later on are deadly, as long as they begin to exert their effect after reproduction, they can continue to be passed on.

Very interesting…

humegotitright · June 22, 2009, 9:46pm

I’ve only ever heard Dawkins discussing bits and bobs on TV shows and the like, but what I’ve heard has always impressed me. I’ll be investing in the book at some stage

Oughtist · June 22, 2009, 10:07pm

Not meaning to overly ravel your thread, dOorkydOOd, but couldn’t help wondering if the below is relevant to Dawkin’s bit at all (just came accross the reference, and it sounds mind-blowish to me):

The Imprinted Brain sets out a radical new theory of the mind and mental illness based on the recent discovery of genomic imprinting. Imprinted genes are those from one parent that, in that parent’s interest, are expressed in an offspring rather than the diametrically opposed genes from the other parent. For example, a higher birth weight may represent the dominance of the father’s genes in leading to a healthy child, whereas a lower birth weight is beneficial to the mother’s immediate wellbeing, and the imprint of the mother’s genes will result in a smaller baby. According to this view, a win for the father’s genes may result in autism, whereas one for the mother’s may result in psychosis. A state of equilibrium - normality - is the most likely outcome, with a no-win situation of balanced expression. Imprinted genes typically produce symptoms that are opposites of each other, and the author uses psychiatric case material to show how many of the symptoms of psychosis can be shown to be the mental mirror-images of those of autism.

Combining psychiatry with insights from modern genetics and cognitive science, Christopher Badcock explains the fascinating imprinted brain theory to the reader in a thorough but accessible way. This new theory casts some intriguing new light on other topics as diverse as the nature of genius, the appeal of detective fiction, and the successes - and failures - of psychoanalysis.

This thought-provoking book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in autism, psychiatry, cognitive science or psychology in general.

Book details:
The Imprinted Brain:
How Genes Set the Balance Between Autism and Psychosis.
Christopher Badcock.
May 2009, 240 pages, hardback.
ISBN: 9781849050234.
£16.99/US$22.95.

Xunzian · June 22, 2009, 11:32pm

I don’t know if Dawkins deals with epigenetics but that is what your blurb is talking about. I know Tab knows a fair number of lay books on the subject he’d be happy to recommend.

Tab · June 25, 2009, 9:13am

“Evolution in four dimensions”

Best overview of epigenetics I’ve read so far. Pretty much up to date on everything evolutionarily else too. I’d chuck selfish gene, and just buy this if I were you.