George C Williams
September 10, 2010 7:38 AM Subscribe
Influential evolutionary biologist George C. Williams (1926-2010) has passed away.
Williams was a professor emeritus of biology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He wrote the hugely influential book Adaptation and Natural Selection in which he outlined the gene-centered view of evolution later popularized by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene. He was also important in the development of the field of evolutionary medicine.
Williams was a professor emeritus of biology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He wrote the hugely influential book Adaptation and Natural Selection in which he outlined the gene-centered view of evolution later popularized by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene. He was also important in the development of the field of evolutionary medicine.
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posted by roll truck roll at 8:05 AM on September 10, 2010
posted by roll truck roll at 8:05 AM on September 10, 2010
Margulis v. Williams. George Williams, looking like Abraham Lincoln, and ever the gentleman, backed up against a wall being harangued by Lynn Margulis at midnight after my dinner in the 90s in Boston at AAAS.
Priceless. It's unfortunate that it makes Dr. Margulis sound a bit like a harpy, especially compared to Williams being "ever the gentleman," but I can definitely see the two of them getting into a hot debate at the AAAS meeting.
(Margulis is responsible for the endosymbiotic theory of cell organelles origin, which involved a high level of cooperation between different species--something Williams would have been adamantly critical of.)
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posted by Made of Star Stuff at 9:00 AM on September 10, 2010
Priceless. It's unfortunate that it makes Dr. Margulis sound a bit like a harpy, especially compared to Williams being "ever the gentleman," but I can definitely see the two of them getting into a hot debate at the AAAS meeting.
(Margulis is responsible for the endosymbiotic theory of cell organelles origin, which involved a high level of cooperation between different species--something Williams would have been adamantly critical of.)
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posted by Made of Star Stuff at 9:00 AM on September 10, 2010
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posted by orthogonality at 10:25 AM on September 10, 2010
posted by orthogonality at 10:25 AM on September 10, 2010
Hugely important figure. Never famous, but very important.
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posted by MarshallPoe at 10:47 AM on September 10, 2010
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posted by MarshallPoe at 10:47 AM on September 10, 2010
I wonder what his final inclusive fitness was...?
posted by gameguy at 11:53 AM on September 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by gameguy at 11:53 AM on September 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Another article from the Chronicle of Higher Education.
posted by pemberkins at 12:00 PM on September 10, 2010
posted by pemberkins at 12:00 PM on September 10, 2010
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posted by pemberkins at 12:05 PM on September 10, 2010
posted by pemberkins at 12:05 PM on September 10, 2010
. . , ; ! |
posted by benzenedream at 2:22 PM on September 10, 2010
posted by benzenedream at 2:22 PM on September 10, 2010
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posted by cnanderson at 7:59 AM on September 10, 2010