--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a…" description: "\"Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a classic example of science fiction.\" — Pope Benedict XVI" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/pope-benedict-xvi-414_classic_richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a_1600957.jpg" --- # Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a classic example of… ![“Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a classic example of science fiction.” quote by Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/pope-benedict-xvi-414_classic_richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a_1600957.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/pope-benedict-xvi-414_classic_richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a_1600957.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/pope-benedict-xvi-414_classic_richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a_1600957.jpg) > “Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a classic example of science fiction.” [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote mislabels a scientific work as fiction, highlighting misunderstanding of evolutionary theory. **In simple terms:** A science book is called sci‑fi. Key Takeaway Check sources before labeling. Themes misinformation science interpretation Mood confused critical Type misquote incorrect attribution When to use this quote - academic discussions - media reporting - education - debate Key Concepts evolutionary biology public perception Questions to Reflect On - Why do people conflate science with fiction? - How does this affect public trust in science? A Different Perspective The Selfish Gene is a factual work, not fiction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Selfish gene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-gene/) ## Related quotes > [Science is a victim of its own reductive metaphors: 'Big Bang,' 'selfish gene' and so on. Richard Dawkins' selfish gene fitted with the Thatcherite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jencks/science-is-a-victim-of-its-own-reductive-metaphors-big-bang-selfish/) [Charles Jencks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-jencks/) > [“Among the required reading for all PUAs were books on evolutionary theory: The Red Queen by Matt Ridley, The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/among-the-required-reading-for-all-puas-were-books-on-evolutionary/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) > [We are built as gene machines and cultured as meme machines, but we have the power to turn against our creators. We, alone on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-are-built-as-gene-machines-and-cultured-as-meme-machines-but-we/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Selfish-gene theory tells us nothing about the value of interacting through language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/selfish-gene-theory-tells-us-nothing-about-the-value-of-interacting/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We have the power to defy the selfish genes of our birth and, if necessary, the selfish memes of our indoctrination. We can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-have-the-power-to-defy-the-selfish-genes-of-our-birth-and-if/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [They are in you and me; they created us, body and mind; and their preservation is the ultimate rationale for our existence. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/they-are-in-you-and-me-they-created-us-body-and-mind-and-their/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I have no explanation for complex biological design. All I know is that God isn't a good explanation, so we must wait and hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-no-explanation-for-complex-biological-design-all-i-know-is/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“It was a kindness that was hard to understand... and the most selfishness she's ever shown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bisco-hatori/it-was-a-kindness-that-was-hard-to-understand-and-the-most/) [Bisco Hatori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bisco-hatori/) > [Faith is powerful enough to immunize people against all appeals to pity, to forgiveness, to decent human feelings. It even immunizes them against fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/faith-is-powerful-enough-to-immunize-people-against-all-appeals-to/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Many people think that the theory of the selfish gene says that “animals try to spread their genes.” That misstates the facts and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/many-people-think-that-the-theory-of-the-selfish-gene-says-that/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Leaders who forbid their followers to use effective contraceptive methods express a preference for "natural" methods of population limitation, and a natural method is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/leaders-who-forbid-their-followers-to-use-effective-contraceptive/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Natural selection, the blind, unconscious, automatic process which Darwin discovered, and which we now know is the explanation forthe existence and apparently purposeful form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/natural-selection-the-blind-unconscious-automatic-process-which/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Mutation is random; natural selection is the very opposite of random.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/mutation-is-random-natural-selection-is-the-very-opposite-of-random/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I don't actually think 'The Selfish Gene' is a very good title. I think that's one of my worst titles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-don-t-actually-think-the-selfish-gene-is-a-very-good-title-i-think/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [ “A foreign publisher of my first book \[ The Selfish Gene \] confessed that he could not sleep for three nights after reading it,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/a-foreign-publisher-of-my-first-book-the-selfish-gene-confessed-that/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Pope Benedict XVI > [The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-fact-that-the-lord-can-work-and-act-even-with-insufficient-means/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Continue to witness to the Gospel every day and commit yourselves generously in the next missionary initiatives in the Diocese of Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/continue-to-witness-to-the-gospel-every-day-and-commit-yourselves/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Jesus’ example of fidelity to prayer challenges us to examine the time and effort we devote to our own prayer. While prayer is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/jesus-example-of-fidelity-to-prayer-challenges-us-to-examine-the-time/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [“Joseph Ratzinger never developed his own theological system. As a theologian he took on what was there, discerned its essentials, situated it in relation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/joseph-ratzinger-never-developed-his-own-theological-system-as-a/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Jesus Christ does not teach us a spirituality “of closed eyes”, but one of “alertness”, one which entails an absolute duty to take notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/jesus-christ-does-not-teach-us-a-spirituality-of-closed-eyes-but-one/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Joy is the true gift of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/joy-is-the-true-gift-of-christmas/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Material possessions, in themselves, are good. We would not survive for long without money, clothing and shelter. We must eat in order to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/material-possessions-in-themselves-are-good-we-would-not-survive-for/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [One of the promising indications of a renewal in the Church's missionary consciousness in recent decades, has been the growing desire of many lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/one-of-the-promising-indications-of-a-renewal-in-the-church-s/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [God loves us despite our shortcomings and sins, and his love gives meaning to our lives and to the life of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/god-loves-us-despite-our-shortcomings-and-sins-and-his-love-gives/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [It's a great responsibility before God, the judge who guides us, who draws us to truth and good, and in this sense the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/it-s-a-great-responsibility-before-god-the-judge-who-guides-us-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Discovering the beauty and joy of faith is a path that every new generation must take on its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/discovering-the-beauty-and-joy-of-faith-is-a-path-that-every-new/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Apostolic and missionary fruitfulness is not principally due to programmes and pastoral methods that are cleverly drawn up and "efficient", but is the result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/apostolic-and-missionary-fruitfulness-is-not-principally-due-to/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) [Explore all 575 Pope Benedict XVI quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) ## More Classic quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [What I love about watching classic horror films is that they take you on a ride and they obviously make you scared because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-holmes/what-i-love-about-watching-classic-horror-films-is-that-they-take-you/) [Katie Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-holmes/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [A classic is like a hidden treasure. Its core is buried under so many layers of varnish that it can be reached only by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-louis-barrault/a-classic-is-like-a-hidden-treasure-its-core-is-buried-under-so-many/) [Jean-Louis Barrault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-louis-barrault/) > [I like everything with a heaping dose of feminitity, including my cell phone. I created this phone for the classic woman, who like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/i-like-everything-with-a-heaping-dose-of-feminitity-including-my-cell/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [One glance and I knew exactly who and what he was. The classic alpha male, the kind who had spurred evolution forward about five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/one-glance-and-i-knew-exactly-who-and-what-he-was-the-classic-alpha/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [Classic mountaineering grows out of a traditional romantic imagination. Its heart is the feeling, its path is blood, sweat and tears, and its restriction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wojciech-kurtyka/classic-mountaineering-grows-out-of-a-traditional-romantic/) [Wojciech Kurtyka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wojciech-kurtyka/) > [In his anti-Darwinian book... (and eponymously named The Neck of the Giraffe ), Francis Hitching tells the story... "The need to survive by reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-his-anti-darwinian-book-and-eponymously-named-the-neck-of-the/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The story being told in 'Star Wars' is a classic one. Every few hundred years, the story is retold because we have a tendency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-story-being-told-in-star-wars-is-a-classic-one-every-few-hundred/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [In the tradition of the classic songwriter rooms like The Bluebird in Nashville, Strange Brew is a gift to the music community in Austin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-cross/in-the-tradition-of-the-classic-songwriter-rooms-like-the-bluebird-in/) [Christopher Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-cross/) > [It's sad that women characters have lost so much ground in popular movies. Didn't 'Thelma and Louise' prove that women want to see women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-quivers/it-s-sad-that-women-characters-have-lost-so-much-ground-in-popular/) [Robin Quivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-quivers/) > [Classic book is a book which people praise, but do not read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/classic-book-is-a-book-which-people-praise-but-do-not-read/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) Browse all 1,505 Classic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a classic example of science fiction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope Benedict XVI" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a-classic-example-of-science/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Classic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a-classic-example-of-science/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/pope-benedict-xvi-414_classic_richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a_1600957.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/pope-benedict-xvi-414_classic_richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a_1600957.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/pope-benedict-xvi-414_classic_richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a_1600957.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a classic example of science fiction.” — Pope Benedict XVI", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pope Benedict XVI", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a-classic-example-of-science/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/richard-dawkins-s-the-selfish-gene-is-a-classic-example-of-science/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```