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Natural selection is the process by which evolution happens. Evolution occurs when entities compete for finite resources in an environment. The entities that succeed in getting the resources are the ones that are the “fittest” (or most effective at competing) in that environment, and the ones which are then able to reproduce. Charles Darwin considers natural selection to be process of “survival of the fittest.” Although many theorists assume that natural selection is a process that happens to species of organisms, Richard Dawkins thinks that natural selection actually happens to genes. Later in his argument, Dawkins extends the scope of natural selection to argue that it also explains how ideas (or memes) are perpetuated in a cultural environment.
Natural Selection Quotes in The Selfish Gene
The The Selfish Gene quotes below are all either spoken by Natural Selection or refer to Natural Selection. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 1 Quotes
I shall argue that the fundamental unit of selection, and therefore of self-interest, is not the species, nor the group, nor even, strictly, the individual. It is the gene, the unit of heredity.
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Many scientists believe that altruism (kindness, or selflessness) exists in nature. They often see animals sacrifice themselves to help other animals. Mammals care for their children. Animals pick parasites off each other’s backs. Birds sound alarm calls to others when there’s a predator nearby, even if that makes the predator notice them more. Bees even kill themselves when they sting. The list goes on. Scientists like Konrad Lorenz, V. C. Wynne-Edwards, and E. O. Wilson explain these behaviors by suggesting that altruistic sacrifices help the group as a whole survive. Even if the individual dies, their species lives on. This Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur
Chapter 3 Quotes
It is as though, in every room of a gigantic building, there was a book-case containing the architect’s plans for the entire building. […] Incidentally, there is of course no ‘architect.’ The DNA instructions are assembled by natural selection.
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Dawkins uses the metaphor of an architect’s plans to explain how genes are distributed in living organisms: every single cell in a body (say, the human body) contains a complete copy of all the genes necessary to create a “survival machine.” It’s as if a huge building had a copy of its blueprints, or “architect’s plans,” divided into binders on a bookcase in every one of its room. In the metaphor, every room is a cell, each bookcase is cell nucleus, each binder is a chromosome, and each page is a gene. Dawkins then addresses a core difference between his Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatib
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Natural Selection Term Timeline in The Selfish Gene
The timeline below shows where the term Natural Selection appears in The Selfish Gene. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2: The Replicators
...apart again, but stable molecules stayed connected. Dawkins thinks this was the earliest form of natural selection. Everything that exists today is made of stable molecules, from soap bubbles to the human...
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...then have slightly different replicators competing for free atoms. This sets up the conditions for natural selection. Does this mean that the replicators were alive? Dawkins says that this is unclear, but...
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Chapter 3: Immortal Coils
...“architect” in the case of DNA. The DNA instructions wound up that way because of natural selection.
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Dawkins now explains how natural selection comes into the picture. Remember that genes are all copies of each other. Sometimes, there’ll...
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Dawkins thinks that, because this is how natural selection works, the “thing” that is evolving must exist in lots of copies that can stay...
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...always “selfish,” because genes that act in ways that preserve their existence win out in natural selection.
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Chapter 6: Genesmanship
Dawkins returns to the issue of parent/child versus sibling relationships. He thinks that natural selection will favor a degree of altruism that is proportional to the “best estimate of relatedness”...
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Chapter 7: Family Planning
Put another way, natural selection adjusts the initial clutch size according to available resources in the environment. Individuals who are...
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Chapter 9: Battle of the Sexes
...stage, the female contributes more. Dawkins says that “female exploitation begins here.” It’s likely that natural selection favored large female sex cells, since more nourishment gives the embryo a good start. If...
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Chapter 13: The Long Reach of the Gene
...The phenotypic effect of one gene might be “green eyes,” or “curly hair,” for example. Natural selection favors genes on the basis of their phenotypic effects. Darwinians often think of the phenotypic...
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...“mobile homes” out of tiny stones and sticks that they protect themselves with like shells. Natural selection favors caddis larvae that build the best protective homes, since this facilitates their survival and...
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Epilogue to 40th Anniversary Edition
It makes sense that natural selection favors genes that “flourish in the company of other genes in the population.” Genes are...
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