The Selfish Gene has been described as the most important book about evolutionary theory since Darwin. First published in 1976, it rapidly became a classic and continues to be highly influential. In 1989, the author completely revised the earlier edition, making numerous additions and changes. According to Dawkins’ theory of the “selfish gene”, natural selection does not take place on the level of the species or of the individual but rather among genes. Following in the footsteps of R.A. Fischer in the 1930s and of W.D. Hamilton and G.C. Williams in the 1960s, Dawkins argues that human beings are programmed to preserve their selfish molecules, which are known as genes. Dawkins’ brilliant style shows that complex scientific ideas can be explained and made accessible to the general public, and that biology can be as exciting as an adventure story.

Richard Dawkins is a renowned evolutionary biologist and the Charles Simonyi Professor for the Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is known to the general public for his frequent television appearances and his role in popularising science. He studied zoology at Oxford under the Nobel-Prize winner Nikolaas Tinbergen.