Chapter 5 Summary and Analysis

In this chapter the author talks about aggression between individuals which he calls "gene machines". He says that individuals within a particular species tend to have more direct interaction with one another than gene machines from different species because they must compete to survive using the same tools and fighting for the same resources, such as mates, living space, and food. So, if one believes Dawkins's selfish gene theory, it might make more sense for creatures within a species to kill and eat one another as often as possible.

But this is not the case. Cannibalism is relatively rare. Why?

The author says that there are hazards to out-and-out fighting, including wasting time and energy that could be put toward reproduction. For one thing, killing a rival could mean that a stronger rival takes the first one's place, making survival even...