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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Dawkins postulate would preserve a gene forever?

2. Does the author believe that all people should act selfishly?

3. What happens to animals that tend to lose in fights?

4. In the science fiction story Dawkins cites, is the machine created by the instructions beneficial or dangerous?

5. When a cell divides to make a new cell with identical DNA, what is the process called?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Dawkins view many-celled life forms?

2. Explain how the Watt Governor uses mechanics to regulate itself.

3. How are the beginning and end of genes in DNA marked?

4. Explain why Dawkins speculates that cannibalism might make sense within his selfish gene theory.

5. Describe "crossing over."

6. According to Dawkins, what happened to self-copying molecules that were less successful?

7. What happens to genes in sexual reproduction?

8. What are the main actions living organisms do, as gene machines?

9. Why doesn't Dawkins find it statistically remarkable that an early molecule would arise that would copy itself?

10. How does Dawkins say that DNA differs from blueprints for making a building?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The opposite of selfishness is altruism, and Dawkins argues that many seemingly altruistic behaviors actually originate with the selfishness of genes. Discuss altruism in Dawkins' book.

1) What altruistic behaviors does Dawkins attribute to selfish genes? How convincing are his arguments?

2) What is "altruism"? Is there such a thing as true "altruism?"

3) How can altruism function for the good of the individual or for the good of the individual's genes?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the biological appearance of purpose in The Selfish Gene.

1) Why do biological structures appear like they have a purpose? What examples does Dawkins give of things in nature that appear to have purpose?

2) What examples does Dawkins give of machines and other things that only appear to have purpose?

3) How convincing are Dawkins' arguments that systems can appear to have purpose without actually having intention? Why does Dawkins give these arguments?

Essay Topic 3

One of Dawkins' primary premises is that the good of the individual is what organisms strive for, not the good of the species. Discuss the conflict between the individual and the species in The Selfish Gene.

1) Why are individuals representative of their genes?

2) What is Dawkins' central argument for selfishness of individuals within a species? Why does the selfishness of genes translate to the selfishness of individuals?

3) What are the arguments that other scientists pose for individuals acting for the good of the species, and how does Dawkins counter those arguments?

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