In
the second chapter of The Selfish Gene
we can see the importance of stability in life. Dawkins explains Darwin's
theory of natural selection and opens a new perspective on the theory of
evolution. Then, Dawkins goes into how the simplest forms of lives were created
with atoms that required stability to survive. He furthermore explains that
proteins are composed of amino acids, proving that complex molecules and other
biological compounds develop from the simplest units.
As
I was reading, I realized how both of these biological facts are essential to a
person psychologically as well. Not only because a malfunction in the human
body biologically will most likely affect the brain, but also due to the fact
that stability is essential to maintaining emotional balance and reaching
success. How can one expect to taste victory when aspects of one's life are not
in equilibrium?
The
fact of complex life forms forming from simple ones also relates
psychologically to us. This is because we must understand that processes are
one step at a time; you always start out small and grow from that. After all, how can you expect to understand engineering when you don't even know the basics of physics?
The theory of
evolution requires an understanding of both these ideas, as stability and
development are basic biological factors. This is precisely why Dawkins goes into the subjects as an introduction to the topic. With the last sentence of chapter two we may predict that later on we are likely to learn about the evolution of humans in detail: "They have come a long way, those replicators. Now they go by the name of genes, and we are their survival machines." (pg. 20)
