Making Sense with Sam Harris #174 — Life & Mind
Nov 4, 2019
Richard Dawkins, an influential evolutionary biologist and author of 'Outgrowing God,' engages in a fascinating dialogue with Sam Harris. They tackle the 'gene’s-eye view' of the world, questioning the limits of Darwinian theory in understanding human life. The conversation dives into the mind-bending concept of the extended phenotype and how parasites manipulate their hosts. Dawkins also explores memes as cultural replicators, reflecting on their evolutionary parallels with genes, and discusses the intriguing implications of epigenetics in inheritance.
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Gene's Eye View
- The gene's eye view of evolution emphasizes that individuals are temporary vehicles for genes.
- Genes become more or less frequent in a population, driving evolution.
Limits of Darwinism
- Evolution favors genes that promote reproduction, even if it means shorter lifespans.
- Behaviors like donating sperm are counterintuitive from a purely Darwinian perspective.
Genetic Book of the Dead
- Genes encode knowledge as solutions to ancestral problems, forming a "genetic book of the dead."
- This book describes past environments where ancestors survived and could theoretically be read.
