selfish gene concept

The selfish gene concept suggests that genes are the fundamental units of evolution, acting in ways to maximize their own replication and survival over generations. Instead of focusing solely on the organism, it views genes as "selfish" entities that influence behaviors and traits that increase their likelihood of being passed on. This perspective explains behaviors like cooperation or altruism as strategies that ultimately benefit the genes’ persistence, even if they seem to disadvantage the individual organism. In essence, genes "seek" to endure through reproduction, guiding natural selection to favor traits that support their own propagation.