The term “selfish gene”, as coined by Dawkins, actually is orthogonal to individual, familial, species or “line” fitness referred to by the parent post. Under

The term “selfish gene”, as coined by Dawkins, actually is orthogonal to individual, familial, species or “line” fitness referred to by the parent post. Under the selfish gene hypothesis, genes seek to increase their own reproductive success, and it’s not a rule that this is aligned with an organism or species fitness. (Of course, genes don’t actually “seek” anything in the personified sense)