The Survival of The Capable Replicators

In the second chapter of The Selfish Gene, Dawkins introduces genes as replicators. He based his explanation on an experiment that was conducted, where scientist created the environment they believe existed in earth, before life.  They put together water, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia. Then they introduced an energy source such as electric sparks or ultraviolet light. These conditions may not be the ones found in earth pre-life, but it is was it seems like, so scientist used those. A few weeks after putting everything together, they observed that new molecules had been created, and laid in a small, liquid, muddy-like substance. Out of those molecules, the replicator, was the one that stood out, thanks to it´s special “power” of being able to replicate itself. He then goes on to tell how this replicator was the one that enabled other molecules to make more copies of them. Some of the copies were identical, but other were similar, because the replicator was bound to create mistakes.

When I hear the word mistake, it creates a negative connotation. But just as Dawkins explains, a mistake can happen for good. Even though some could argue that mistakes occur when something goes wrong, the result of it may be possible. This is exactly what happens when replicators make mistakes. The changes in those copies are the ones that make evolution possible, and with evolution come the survival of the species. This is all relates with Charles´s Darwin theory of natural selection and the survival of the fittest. The species-in this case molecules- that are capable of changing and adapting, are the ones that survive.

During the industrial era in the Unites States, (late 19^th century) William Graham Summer popularized a philosophy that relates to Darwin´s “survival of the fittest.” It did not have to do with the survival or extinction of a species, but more of human beings as individuals. The philosophy was developed by Herbert Spencer, and is called “Social Darwinism.” It has the same base of “the survival of the fittest,” but it embarks the social society. The United States was going though an era of technological and economical advancements, where top gun guys, such as Andre Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller started to emerge. To justify the wide gap between the rich and the poor, many used Social Darwinism and argued that only the strongest are and should be able to over come the economic situations, and should not need assistance. In this way, the most capable people will survive, and will be the one to develop the economy and the country.

The survival of the best replicators is very similar to the survival of the most capable citizens. If both are able to survive, it is because they have fought for it and have proven to be the strongest. Hence, life or the country will have been left in charge of the ones that will not let it fail.