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Richard Dawkins: How a Scientist Changed the Way We Think

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Richard Dawkins: How a Scientist Changed the Way We Think
EditorAlan Grafen, Mark Ridley
Publication date
2006
ISBN9780199291168

Richard Dawkins: How a Scientist Changed the Way We Think is a festschrift of 25 essays written in recognition of the life and work of Richard Dawkins. It was published in 2006, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the publication of The Selfish Gene. A wide range of topics is covered from many fields including evolutionary biology, philosophy, and psychology. Space is also given to writers who are not in full agreement with Dawkins. The book is edited by two of Dawkins' former PhD students, Alan Grafen and Mark Ridley. (ISBN 9780199291168)

Reception

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The reviews of the book have been mixed, but the controversial title phrase, "How a Scientist Changed the Way We Think" has been explained by considering Dawkins to have worked as an influential educator and concise author, of The Selfish Gene, who promoted the key ideas of others about evolutionary biology, also including some controversial ideas which are not as widely accepted.[1] As the author of a popular science book, Dawkins had popularized ideas by George Williams in critiquing group selection, William Hamilton on the theory of kin selection in evolution, biologist/geneticist John Maynard Smith on evolutionarily stable strategies, and Robert Trivers about reciprocal altruism and competition between siblings versus parent and child.[1]

Contributions

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References

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