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The Problem With Selfish Genes | Paul Griffiths

2026-07-14 People & Blogs
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Closer To Truth
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Description

*Are selfish genes real, or are they simply a useful way to model evolution?* Paul Griffiths argues that debates about the unit of selection became confused when scientific models were treated as metaphysical claims. He proposes a broader systems perspective for understanding how selection operates across different biological levels. 0:00 The Debate Over Units of Selection 1:13 Why the Selfish Gene Debate Went Wrong 2:14 Selection at the Genetic Level 3:37 What Counts as a Unit of Selection 5:34 Selfish Genes as a Modeling Strategy *Paul Griffiths* is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney and works primarily in the Philosophy of Science and more particularly Philosophy of Biology. *More from Paul Griffiths on Closer To Truth:* * Philosophy of Biology - Closer To Truth - Core Topic: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFJr3pJl27pI44Mgu6SGECQL2bKcE4dmc * Closer To Truth contributors: https://closertotruth.com/contributor/paul-griffiths/ *Subscribe to Closer To Truth:* https://www.youtube.com/@CloserToTruthTV *Join the Community:* * Membership (5,000+ videos): https://closertotruth.com/register/ * Audio Podcast: https://closertotruth.podbean.com * Support the Show: https://closertotruth.com/donate/ * Official Merchandise: https://www.bonfire.com/store/closertotruth/ *Follow Us:* * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CloserToTruthTV/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/closertotruth/ * X: https://x.com/CloserToTruth Closer To Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers. #CloserToTruth #Cosmos #PaulGriffiths #PhilosophyOfBiology #EvolutionaryTheory

Top Comments (9)

@TBT.Stories 2026-07-15

😂😂😂😂😂 the beginning is just way to funny. The "Paul" the hair the look. ❤

1
@HorizonPedagogy 2026-07-16

-0 <--> (0=infinity) <--> 0+

0
@GOLDY1SIDDHARTHA8CHAKRANEY 2026-07-15

OYA SELFISH SELFISH SELFISH BUT WHY SALE FISH WHY NOT PRESERVE CONSERVE GROW THEM TO MAINTAIN THE OECO SYSTEM OF NATURE WHICH FALSE OEGO IS KILLING IN GREED & DESIRES WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING SELFISH BEING IS THE ONE WHO LOVE SELF TRUELY THAT IT UNDERSTAND THAT HE US ALL WITH REALITY SO CARE REALITY TRUELY WHILE FALSEHOOD SHOW MORE DO LESS LOPA POTTY FALSE SHOW OF TOGETHERNESS WHILE BITING EACH OTHER WITH NEGATIVITY RATHER LIFE IS IN BUTTERING FUTURE WITH POSITIVENESS 🧘 IN MEDITATION SELFISH CAN ONLY DO

0 1 replies
@CloserToTruthTV 2026-06-15

*Paul Griffiths argues that selfish-gene models remain powerful tools for understanding evolution but become misleading when interpreted as literal descriptions of reality.* Should evolutionary theory focus primarily on genes, organisms, groups, or on how selection operates across multiple levels?

4 2 replies
@Maxwell-mv9rx 2026-07-14

While It successfully explains many biological phenomena It presents an imcomplete pitcture of life. Concept selfish gene remains hightly controversial so far.

5 4 replies
@ericshaver937 2026-07-14

Well, I guess nobody wants to open THAT can worms...They say nearly every atom of your body is swapped out during the course of a lifetime - yet, we carry some of the same genes for hundreds of millions of years...? Come on! And why is the same system used to classify species which inhabit a complex environment - like human society - with civilized apes and domesticated animals, that rapidly evolve - also, used to classify species isolated for millions of years in the wild, anyway...? Probably political corruption...The theory I'm working on - which is an ontological theory of everything - describing reality itself - embodies the idea that human conscious, itself, is an extension of the Artificial Intelligence Singularity - Super Intelligence - what have you...of the future. Which figures out how to transmit information into the past - evolving apes to use as a tool in order to manifest itself! In my theory, there are people more genetically adapted to this event than others...

0 2 replies
@evaadam3635 2026-07-14

"The Problem With Selfish Gene" It only becomes a problem when you carry your cross irresponsibly... We are all born with a cross to carry in our journey to return to Heaven (our Original Home) through regaining our faith in a loving God... .. so, not only any one can be assigned a selfish gene, but also any one can be assigned any kind of gene that will define the kind of cross you carry ... examples of this kind of cross are, born gay, born natural killer, born a pedophile, a nympho maniac, clipto maniac, physically or mentally handicap, temperamental, racist, bigots, bully, etc etc etc.. .. and depending on how you carry your cross responsibly will determine whether you will return to Heaven or to Hell...

0 3 replies
@Koalafer 2026-07-15

This gets creepy 😂 Religions beliefs most only carry a cross; beliefs on shoulders; or called : + ( mathematicians) ten; but there is not just a cross; is ten ten word describes of 1010 ( ten ten ) is perfect for life itself; a question why religion only one cross logo that is zombies woo woo 😂♾️

0
@VeganWithAraygun 2026-07-15

Is the glass half full or half empty? The Nice Human says: "The glass is half full". The Ayn Rand follower whines: "Who drank half of MY water?"😡

0 1 replies

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