What kind of scientist was Dawkins?

evolutionary biologist
Richard Dawkins, in full Clinton Richard Dawkins, (born March 26, 1941, Nairobi, Kenya), British evolutionary biologist, ethologist, and popular-science writer who emphasized the gene as the driving force of evolution and generated significant controversy with his enthusiastic advocacy of atheism.

What is Richard Dawkins contributions to science?

The Selfish Gene, published in 1976, established Professor Richard Dawkins as a leading figure in evolutionary theory and popularised the idea that replicating genes are the central force behind evolution, not individual organisms or species.

Is Richard Dawkins a zoologist?

Richard Dawkins (1941- ) is a British zoologist and evolutionary theorist best known for his concepts of the selfish gene, the extended phenotype, and the meme. He was born in Kenya, and educated at Oxford, where he has lived and worked since 1970.

What do biologists think of Richard Dawkins?

Controversial British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins is well-known for his criticism of religion, but a new Rice University study of British scientists reveals that a majority who mentioned Dawkins’ work during research interviews reject his approach to public engagement and said his work misrepresents science …

Who invented memes?

biologist Richard Dawkins
The term meme was introduced in 1976 by British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. He conceived of memes as the cultural parallel to biological genes and considered them as being in control of their own reproduction.

What is a meme in biology?

Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures. Proponents theorize that memes are a viral phenomenon that may evolve by natural selection in a manner analogous to that of biological evolution.