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> "We should view genes, not organisms, as the fundamental unit of propagation. They optimize for their own survival, not necessarily the organisms." --- this i
by 0xfeba 10y ago
> "We should view genes, not organisms, as the fundamental unit of propagation. They optimize for their own survival, not necessarily the organisms." --- this is an insight.
Richard Dawkins wrote a book on just that. "The Selfish Gene" (~1970). However, recent epigenetics discounts just the gene as the sole 'unit' of propogation.
- dTal 10y agoNote that even The Selfish Gene mentions memes as another, possibly competing replicator towards the end.
- keithwhor 10y agoYeah, that's why I brought it up. Should have made the reference more clear. :) Dawkins had an insight and shared it with the world. I'm not sure this pop-sci article is the same magnitude of revelation or what, if anything, is actually there.