A selfish gene does not make a selfish creature

In the gene's-eye metaphor, “selfish” describes differential persistence: variants that help copies of themselves reach later generations can spread. The word does not assign intention to DNA or personality to an animal. Under some conditions, helping relatives can advance shared variants, so cooperative behaviour can fit the same evolutionary accounting.

The metaphor is influential, not the only useful level at which evolution is studied. Organisms, groups, development and ecology remain real explanatory contexts, and scientists debate their relative emphasis. The correction is linguistic but important: a technical shorthand about replication cannot be read as a moral verdict on living things.