Richard Dawkins
A scientist who is the author and sole voice of The Selfish Gene. He is inspired by Darwin’s theory of evolution, but offers a different perspective on the topic. He believes that genes…
read analysis of Richard Dawkins
Charles Darwin
A geologist who developed the theory of evolution in the 1800s after taking a five-year sea voyage around the world and publishing The Origin of Species. Darwin argues that the biodiversity of the natural…
read analysis of Charles Darwin
John Maynard Smith
A mathematician and scientist. His views about evolution make a profound impact on Dawkins, who leverages Maynard Smith’s ideas often to support his own argument. Maynard Smith believes, like Dawkins, Trivers, Williams…
read analysis of John Maynard Smith
William (Bill) D. Hamilton
A biologist who believes, like Dawkins, Maynard Smith, Trivers, Fisher, and Williams, that evolution happens to genes, and not species. Dawkins borrows from Hamilton, the rhetorical device of personifying the…
read analysis of William (Bill) D. Hamilton
Konrad Lorenz
One of Dawkins’s scientific rivals in The Selfish Gene. Lorenz, like Wilson and Wynne-Edwards, argues that sometimes an animal might sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the group or species. This view…
read analysis of Konrad Lorenz
Get the entire The Selfish Gene LitChart as a printable PDF.
Minor Characters
George C. Williams
A biologist who believes, like Dawkins, Trivers, Maynard Smith, and Hamilton, that evolution happens to genes, and not species. Dawkins uses Williams’ concept of what a gene to get his argument going.
Robert (Bob) Trivers
A mathematician and scientist who believes, like Dawkins, Maynard Smith, Williams, Fisher, and Hamilton, that evolution happens to genes, and not species. Dawkins references Trivers when discussing behavior strategies (also known as game theory), especially among families. Trivers works with Hare on formulating these strategies.
Robert Axelrod
A scientist who works on animal behavior using game theory (the mathematics of predicting behavior). Dawkins discusses Axelrod when discussing behavior strategies like cooperation.
V. C. Wynne-Edwards
A scientist who, like Lorenz and Wilson, believes in group selection, and was one of its earliest advocates. Dawkins thinks Wynne-Edward’s view is mistaken.
E. O. Wilson
A scientist who, like Lorenz and Wynne-Edwards believes in group selection. Dawkins thinks Wilson’s view is mistaken.
R. D. Alexander
A scientist of animal behavior. Dawkins discusses Alexander when addressing parent-child relationships.
David Lack
A scientist who does research on clutch sizes in birds.
A. Zahavi
An evolutionary biologist. Dawkins discusses Zahavi when addressing bluffing. Dawkins disagrees with a lot of Zahavi’s explanations.
R. A. Fisher
A scientist who, like Dawkins, Maynard Smith, Hamilton, and Trivers, endorses the “gene’s eye view” of evolution. Dawkins discusses Fisher when discussing sex ratios in animal populations.
R. Ardrey
A scientist who believes there is altruism in nature.
H. Hare
A theorist who works with Trivers on behavior strategies.
Geoffrey Chaucer
A playwright who was alive in medieval England. Dawkins thinks that Chaucer’s English was very different to the English we speak nowadays, which shows that language evolves.
P. F. Jenkins
A scientist who studied the evolution of saddleback bird songs in New Zealand. He thinks that saddleback bird songs are an example of cultural evolution.
Sir Karl Popper
A theorist who thinks that culture evolves.
L. L. Cavalli-Sforza
A geneticist who thinks that culture evolves.
T. F. Cloak
An anthropologist who thinks that culture evolves.
J. M. Cullen
– An ethologist who thinks that culture evolves.
Socrates
An ancient philosopher.
Leonardo
A historical artist.
Copernicus
A scientist.
G. S. Wilkinson
A scientist who conducts research on vampire bats. Dawkins mentions Wilkinson when discussing behavior strategies between individuals that are not closely related.
James Crow
A geneticist.
Queen Elizabeth II
Dawkins’s 15th cousin, twice removed.
Yan Wong
A scientist who is working with Dawkins on uncovering information about humankind’s ancient past based on genetic code.
