Tuesday, April 7, 2015

TOW # 24 Die, Selfish Gene, Die By: David Dobbs

In this essay, Dobbs explores the world of evolution and why Dawkin’s idea of the “selfish gene” should not exist. He does so by organizing his essay into 4 main parts. First, he gives an example of the Grasshopper/locust in order to hook the reader with an interesting bit of knowledge. It also adds to his statement later denouncing the rigidity of the selfish gene’s existence. Then Dobbs goes on to explain what the selfish gene entails exactly and why it does not make sense based on his previous statements made about genetics in general. Finally he goes on to explain why the selfish gene has been wrongfully accepted into the biological field. Dobb’s organization is very powerful and makes the overall essay easy to read on a holistic standpoint. By introducing a common idea, Dobbs eases his reader in, then he defines the selfish gene so the audience can clearly understand his view on why it is illogical. Once he has already proven it to be false, it is the perfect time to then speak of the final part. The final part of his essay is definitely the weakest, providing little concrete evidence, and mainly made up of conjecture, but is compensated for by the ethos and logos previously showcased in the essay.

Dobbs also is very anecdotal, when talking about the story of Mendel. This makes the reading turn from a dry history lecture into an interesting story-time excursion. This appeals to pathos, and makes the reading a more enjoyable experience. Dobbs manages to turn what could have been a boring and overly-jargonized piece of niche literature into an essay that is relatively accessible while also being effective in his main purpose. 

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