The Extended Phenotype
Richard Dawkins
10 people recommended it in 7 threads, 2009–2024.
What people on Hacker News said
Showing how life could possibly evolve, just with random mutations and non-random survival made it real to me that we live in a natural world. And not just that, but that since it's so obviously a natural world, it's up to us to decide what is right, what our purpose is.
Like integral calculus, I rarely have cause to apply the concept in the domain in which it was described, but the understanding that his conveyance of the material shaped in me is something I feel in my thinking every day, more than two decades later.
Probably too similar, but do follow up with "The Extended Phenotype" if you haven't already.
I have been meaning to come back to this since reading Selfish Gene, but haven't gotten to it!
It contains the central insight of The Selfish Gene, and then adds a lot on top of it.
I regard it a piece of philosophy as much as a textbook about evolution.
It is certainly his most important original contribution to the literature. And a beautiful book. True and convincing. It will change your view of the world. There is no higher praise.
Where it comes up
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- Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift? 2016 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What are the books that changed the perspective of your life? 2015 · 1 recommendation
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