How Can Philosophy Probe Evolutionary Biology?

In 'The Ancestor's Tale', Richard Dawkins and Yan Wong present a unique and expansive look at evolution. Loosely based on the structure of Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales', the book takes readers on a pilgrimage back through four billion years of life, joining with other organisms at forty 'rendezvous points' where common ancestors are found. The authors shed light on various aspects of evolutionary history and theory, including sexual selection, speciation, convergent evolution, extinction, genetics, plate tectonics, and geographical dispersal. This work highlights the intimate connections between humans and all other life forms, offering a fascinating history of life on Earth and the latest thinking in biology.

In 'The Selfish Gene', Richard Dawkins presents a gene-centred view of evolution, arguing that genes are the primary units of selection and that they behave selfishly to ensure their own replication. The book explains concepts such as kin selection, inclusive fitness, and the evolutionarily stable strategy, highlighting how these mechanisms can lead to altruistic behaviors in organisms. Dawkins emphasizes that the 'selfishness' of genes is a metaphorical concept, describing their evolutionary consequences rather than any intentional behavior. The book has been influential in shaping modern evolutionary thought and remains relevant today.