The selfish gene versus mirror neurons: two faces of the same coin? (men, emotion)

[Javier77]

The theory of the selfish gene says any living creature is run by the need of their genes to replicate themselves. We think we run the show of our lives but we are mere tools of those little guys and their NDA tricks. It's them who make us feel horny and engage in sex, it's them the ones who make men in general prefer younger woman, since younger women are more fertile than older women, It's them who make a mother to sacrifice her live in order to ave the lives of her children, and it's them the ones who make us alk away when someone is getting hurt cos we afraid if our personal safety if we get involved, or just thinking "somebody else wil do something" which is called the by-standard effect. So the selfish gene basically makes us selfish, in a literal way.


On the other hand we got mirror neuron, which makes us connect with other people. If we see somebody in pain, the neurons in the pain region in our brain are activated. If we see somebody laffing, the laffing neurons in our brains are activated. That's why emotions are contagious Those neurons facility human cooperation and bonding among people, otherwise we would had never left the African savannah during the paleolitic.


Those 2 traits seem both contradictory but complementary. Sometimes we need to care about others, sometimes we need to be selfish.

Meanwhile there is scientific evidence of mirror neurons (they found psychopaths lack them regarding empathy towards others), the selfish gene is just a theory. There are things that contradict that theory, like homosexuality, teeanage suicide, etc.

Would you say those 2 traits battle inside us, like the 2 sides of the same coin?

[jonesg]

Originally Posted by Javier77

The theory of the selfish gene

Its not a theory, just a silly idea postulated for a sloppy pop science book by a militant atheist.
Its easily refuted and has been repeatedly.