Gene-centered view of evolution

The gene-centric view of evolution holds that evolution can be viewed as acting only at the level of genes, and that selection on higher units such as organisms and populations (group selection) is negligible.

Its most notable exponent was the British biologist W.D. Hamilton. Hamilton's friend Richard Dawkins popularized it in his book The Selfish Gene. One form of the gene centric view is genetic anthropomorphism which refers to "thinking like a gene". The central question is "if I were a gene, what would I do in order to reproduce myself". This is related to a philosophical tool known as the intentional stance.

The view has been criticised for being inappropriately reductionist. In recent years, partially as a consequence of the influence of ideas from the study of complex systems, this view has become less dominant, and interaction between genes and between organisms as a force in evolution has become a topic of research.