The term selfish gene is just a metaphor for selection at the level of the gene (i.e. genes evolve to better propogate themselves), it doesn't have anything to do with selfishness as an attitude. I don't know what he used to say but a recent book of his says he thinks that altruistic behavior evolved because it is beneficial to the altruistic organism, but it doesn't mean that the organism behaving altruistically has selfish motives in their mind.
> What do these findings say about Dawkins "Selfish Gene" theory? > Particularly his claims (to oversimplify) about altruism as simply a > subtle form of selfishness. > -raghu.
