The Selfish Gene Pool: An Evolutionary Stable System

By Donald MacKay Wonderly

The Selfish Gene Pool was written to encourage dialogue on the issue of the claim that all people are destined to act selfishly in all situations, whether they are aware of it or not, because their fitness in resulting generations depends on it. This book provides an overview of a motivation model designed to support a positive interpretation of altruistic behavior. It specifically denies the claims of sociobiologists' "selfish gene" theory, and provides a thorough rebuttal of their argument. Unfortunately, the sociobiological analysis of behavior ignores the influence of a moral sense, and the fact that altruistic behavior (which they deny exists) is directed not toward the resident gene, but toward the totality of the relevant gene pool. In spite of the criticism that has been leveled at sociobiologist extremists, nothing has appeared in print that represents an alternative explanation for altruistic behavior.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761803831
• ISBN13: 9780761803836
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: University Press of America
• Length: 262 Pages