The Extended Phenotype: The Gene as the Unit of Selection (Signed)

Richard Dawkins

ISBN 10: 0716713586 / ISBN 13: 9780716713586

Published by W.h. Freeman & Company, Oxford and San Francisco, 1982

Richard Dawkins FRS FRSL (b 1941) is a famous and sometimes controversial, British evolutionary biologist and author An emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, he was Professor for Public Understanding of Science at Oxford from 1995 to 2008 In recent years, he has used his role as a public voice for science to criticize religion and all unscientific beliefs But he originally established his scientific reputation on the basis of his first two books, The Selfish Gene, and The Extended Phenotype, both published before he became publicly known In The Extended Phenotype (1982), essentially a sequel to The Selfish Gene, Dawkins introduced a biological concept of the same name, which presented the idea is that phenotype should not be limited to biological processes such as protein biosynthesis or tissue growth, but extended to include all effects that a gene has on its environment, inside or outside the body of the individual organism This second book was aimed at professional biologists, and represents Dawkins' principal contribution to evolutionary theory Being a more technical work than The Selfish Gene, The Extended Phenotype was not published in as large a printing, Thus. first editions are scarce, especially "true firsts", (i.e. UK firsts) First editions in excellent condition with dust jackets are still scarcer, and signed copies are quite rare This copy is near fine in green cloth with silver titles on the spine and front cover Covers and titles are clean and bright, with just the slightest bumping at the top of the spine The text is also clean and unmarked, with the sole exception of a previous owner's ink stamp at the top of the ffep. The unclipped dust jacket is also near fine, with a tiny chip at the top front corner and extremely slight shelf wear. It is now in a protective jacket cover. Signed by Dawkins in blue ink on the title page. 307 pp. Seller Inventory # AA1915

Synopsis:

People commonly view evolution as a process of competition between individuals--known as "survival of the fittest"--with the individual representing the "unit of selection." Richard Dawkins offers a controversial reinterpretation of that idea in The Extended Phenotype, now being reissued to coincide with the publication of the second edition of his highly-acclaimed The Selfish Gene. He proposes that we look at evolution as a battle between genes instead of between whole organisms. We can then view Nanges in phenotypes--the end products of genes, like eye color or leaf shape, which are usually considered to increase the fitness of an individual--as serving the evolutionary interests of genes. Dawkins makes a convincing case that considering one's body, personality, and environment as a field of combat in a kind of "arms race" between genes fighting to express themselves on a strand of DNA can clarify and extend the idea of survival of the fittest. This influential

About the Author:
About the Author:
Richard Dawkins is a Fellow of New College and Lecturer in Animal Behavior at Oxford University. He is the author of The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Extended Phenotype: The Gene as the Unit...
Publisher: W.h. Freeman & Company, Oxford and San Francisco
Publication Date: 1982
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Near Fine
Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
Signed: Signed by Author(s)
Edition: First UK edition.