Richard Dawkins, a prominent evolutionary biologist, has released his latest book, “The Genetic Book of the Dead”. The book builds upon his earlier ideas, including the concept of the “selfish gene” and the extended phenotype. However, critics argue that Dawkins’ approach to evolution is still stuck in a perfectionist paradigm.
Dawkins’ theory posits that natural selection acts on the level of genes, making organisms mere vehicles for their propagation. This idea has been developed over several books, including “The Selfish Gene” and “The Extended Phenotype”. While his latest work recaps the basics of Darwinian evolution, critics argue that it does not go far enough in challenging this view.
One criticism is that Dawkins’ language of “genes for” specific traits oversimplifies modern biology. The concept of epigenetics, which modulates gene expression in response to the environment, challenges this idea. Furthermore, Dawkins’ insistence on using deterministic language can be seen as outdated and out of step with current scientific understanding.
Additionally, critics argue that Dawkins’ approach to evolution is too focused on finding a perfect explanation for complex traits, rather than acknowledging the constraints and imperfections that come with historical processes. This perspective is often referred to as the “Panglossian paradigm”, named after the character from Voltaire’s novel “Candide”.
In recent work, Dawkins has sidestepped these criticisms by invoking language of designers and engineers, which some see as perpetuating a flawed view of evolution. To move forward in our understanding of evolution, it is essential to acknowledge the complexities and imperfections that arise from historical processes rather than relying on overly simplistic explanations.
Overall, while Dawkins’ work remains influential in the field of evolutionary biology, his latest book has sparked debate among critics who argue that he still needs to challenge his perfectionist paradigm.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03991-1