>>13291723Well the idea is that a gene has a better chance of survival when the "host" has a better chance of survival. A multicellular individual has 10^13 cells, all with the same genetics (differentiation is epigenetic), and with a highly conserved germline, which separated early and proliferates with assymetric cell division, increasing genetic integrity. Bacterial systems are more stochastic, and their genome is much less stable.
But as far as i understand, dawkins talks a lot about such abstractions, which arent really all that important. Stick with the molecular biology aspect of it. The chemistry of it is where you will find your answers. Don't read dawkins. Read an organic chemistry textbook, then a cellular biology textbook for context, then a molecular biology textbook and a biochem one too, then anatomy for context, then genetics, then ethology, biogeographics, ecology, and finally evolutionary biology. If you can find a translated copy, read Adam Kun's evolutionary biology. Oh and for the last three, you need a decent understanding of combinatorics and a bit of calc and trig. If needed, brush up on inorganic chem too.
