By BARTY77
Updated: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:54:10 UTC

I have just been informed by my friend, who is studying BA (Hons) Sociology (maybe Politics and Sociology, I forget her exact course) at the University of Brighton, that she has been asked to read The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins.

Now, my initial response via text was "What does that possibly have to do with Sociology?!"

However, having thought on it I recalled hearing Richard, in an interview, speak about how many right wing individuals read his book when it was first released (perhaps since then, I forget) and had emailed him with some kind of agreement or praise, believing the book to be supporting right wing views.

Now, obviously, to you and me The Selfish Gene is a biology book about genetics and the evolution of altruism. But what is it to a sociologist? Should they have The Selfish Gene in their suggested reading at all? Personally, I think not.

What do we think?

TAGGED: BOOKS, EDUCATION, RICHARD DAWKINS, SOCIETY