E.O. Wilson

E.O. Wilson was an American biologist and naturalist who is regarded as the founder of the sociobiology. He was one of the most influential of the scientists and the conservationists of the twentieth century.

Early Life and Education

Edward Osborne Wilson was born in 1929 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was interested in the insects and the natural world as a child.

He studied biology at the University of Alabama and took his doctorate at Harvard University in 1955.

He specialised in the study of the ants and became the world authority on the myrmecology. He taught at Harvard for more than forty years.

The Sociobiology and the Ants

Wilson published the book Sociobiology in 1975. The book applied the evolutionary theory to the social behaviour of the animals.

He argued that the social behaviour has a genetic basis and is shaped by the natural selection. The theory was extended to the human behaviour.

The book caused the controversy because of the application to the humans. The debate with Gould and Lewontin was one of the most famous of the period.

He was the leading expert on the ants and discovered many of the species. His book The Ants won the Pulitzer Prize in 1991.

The Biodiversity and the Conservation

Wilson coined the term biodiversity and promoted the conservation of the ecosystems. He warned of the mass extinction caused by the human activity.

He wrote the book The Diversity of Life and the others on the natural world. The works explained the importance of the biodiversity.

He proposed the half-earth project for the protection of the half of the planet. The proposal became a focus of the conservation debate.

He advocated for the protection of the natural habitats and the species. He was one of the most influential of the conservationists.

The Later Years and the Legacy

Wilson received the Pulitzer Prize twice and the National Medal of Science. He was a member of the Royal Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He wrote the memoir Naturalist and the novel Anthill. The works reflect his lifelong engagement with the nature.

He died in 2021 in Burlington, Massachusetts. He was one of the most influential of the biologists of the modern age.

He is regarded as the founder of the sociobiology and the champion of the biodiversity. His work continues to shape the study of the evolution and the conservation.

The Study of the Ants

Wilson specialised in the study of the ants. He became the world authority on the myrmecology.

He discovered many of the species and studied their behaviour. He wrote the book The Ants with Bert Hölldobler.

The book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1991.

The Sociobiology

Wilson published the book Sociobiology in 1975. The book applied the evolutionary theory to the social behaviour.

He argued that the social behaviour has a genetic basis. The theory was extended to the human behaviour.

The book caused the controversy because of the application to the humans.

The Biodiversity

Wilson coined the term biodiversity and promoted the conservation. He warned of the mass extinction.

He wrote the book The Diversity of Life in 1992. The book explained the importance of the biodiversity.

He proposed the half-earth project for the protection of the planet.

The Conservation

Wilson advocated for the protection of the natural habitats. He was one of the most influential of the conservationists.

He served on the boards of the conservation organisations. He wrote the book The Future of Life.

He argued for the moral and the practical case for the conservation.

The Honours

Wilson received the Pulitzer Prize twice. He received the National Medal of Science.

He was a member of the Royal Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He received more than one hundred and fifty awards.

He was the professor emeritus at Harvard University.

The Autobiography

Wilson wrote the memoir Naturalist in 1994. The book describes his childhood and the career.

He wrote the novel Anthill in 2010. The novel reflects his love of the nature.

He died in 2021 in Burlington, Massachusetts.

The Personal Life

Wilson married Irene Kelley in 1955 and the couple had one daughter. He was a devoted naturalist throughout his life.

He was known for his modest manner and his love of the fieldwork. He continued to study the ants into his nineties.

He died in 2021 and was remembered as one of the greatest of the biologists.

The Debate

Wilson and Gould debated the sociobiology for many years. The debate concerned the genetic basis of the human behaviour.

Wilson defended the application of the evolutionary theory to the social behaviour. He argued for the unity of the knowledge.

The debate shaped the study of the biology and the social sciences.

See also

• Sociobiology
• Biodiversity
• Myrmecology
• Conservation