Selfish Genes
In an Al-Jazeera opinion editorial, Dr. Ali Al-Hail, Professor of Mass Communication and Fulbright Visiting Scholar, wrote:
The Power Of Nature & The Power Of Selfish Genes
The intent here is by no way to dismiss the grief, suffering, and dismay caused by Katrina in Southern US. On the contrary, the intent is to emphasize the human urgent need for eradicating the power of human selfish genes. The ultimate goal of course, is to use the positive power of humanity to help fellow human beings against the power of nature.
Selfish genes, terrorism genes, kindness genes,…. We all have them. Harnessing their power and bringing them under control is not always so easy in circumstances beyond our control.
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POSTED IN: General Genetics and Health
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4 opinions for Selfish Genes
razib
Sep 5, 2005 at 1:09 am
i know you know this lei, and it is a pedantic point, by almost <b>by definition</b> non-trivially common genes are selfish (ie; they favor their own replication). the more correct term in this context would be selfish<b>ness</b> genes. i wouldn’t point this out, but richard dawkins has tried to hammer home this point forcefully for the past 25 years since his book (<i>the selfish gene</i>) because of the misunderstanding of the term.
Lei
Sep 5, 2005 at 2:05 am
Thanks, razib. I know what you’re referring to and agree that selfishNESS gene would be better phrasing esp. for us geneticists. ;) Just quoting Dr. Al-Hail in this case.
razib
Sep 5, 2005 at 4:35 am
lei,
yes. i’m just trying to enlist you in a propoganda war! i’ve been genetics blogging for years and i bet most of my readers still don’t intuitively get narrow sense heritability….
Lei
Sep 5, 2005 at 4:47 am
razib, How do you know I get heritability? ;) hehhee Sometimes I feel like my head is spinning esp. with some of the misinformation out there.
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