E.O. Wilson comes up when you get into the "actor model"[0], especially with this quote:<p>><i>“A colony of ants is more than just an aggregate of insects that are living together. One ant is no ant.”</i><p>Many publications and articles on the topic of actors reference it at some point.<p>- [0]: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor_model" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor_model</a>
RadioLab did do a very nice ~20 minute bit on E.O. Wilson, it's just a conversation on stage (so it's not overproduced and chopped up with weird sounds like RL stuff can be): <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/91867-chasing-bugs" rel="nofollow">https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/91867...</a><p>Just sharing because I really liked this, he comes across as a really lovely man.
One of the giants. "Consilience" is one of his books that's well worth reading. Small book, small words, short sentences and huge ideas.
People like Wilson are a rare breed. He stuck to his guns despite the huge backlash around Sociobiology. From my vantage point, it seems everyone else is coming around to eventually admitting he was basically right all along, begrudgingly of course.
Legend. Ants. Bees. Learning. The essence of science.<p>He came up in casual conversation yesterday, re science and learning math, as well as how tough learning math can be once you're older. (He famously attempted to learn calculus in his 30s, and had a struggle, despite already being a Harvard professor, and world-class scientist)
Never heard of E.O. Wilson before now, but his work sounds fascinating. Anyone have any suggestions on how to break into his stuff? Sounds like he has 30 or so books, is "On Human Nature" a good start?
"[The successful scientist] is sometimes driven, I will dare to suggest, by a passive-aggressive nature, and sometimes an anger against some part of society or problem in the world. There is also an introversion in the innovator that keeps him from team sports and social events. He dislikes authority, or at least being told what to do. He is not a leader in high school or college, nor is he likely to be pledged by social clubs. From an early age he is a dreamer, not a doer. His attention wanders easily. He likes to probe, to collect, to tinker. He is prone to fantasize. He is not inclined to focus. He will not be voted by his classmates most likely to succeed."<p>-- E.O. Wilson
I was just listening to an interview with him on Vox Conversations yesterday, that's so sad to hear. "EO Wilson's Plan to Save the World" is well worth listening to. RSS: <a href="http://feeds.megaphone.fm/theezrakleinshow" rel="nofollow">http://feeds.megaphone.fm/theezrakleinshow</a>
One of the great writers on science. This is from ‘The Diversity of Life’: “In the Amazon Basin the greatest violence sometimes begins as a flicker of light beyond the horizon. There in the perfect bowl of the night sky, untouched by light from any human source, a thunderstorm sends its premonitory signal and begins a slow journey to the observer, who thinks: the world is about to change.”
"The real problem of humanity is the following: we have paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology" — E. O. Wilson, 2009
This weekend we also saw the loss of Tom Lovejoy, one of the most important conservation biologists of the last century.<p><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2021/12/tom-lovejoy-prominent-conservation-biologist-dead-at-80/" rel="nofollow">https://news.mongabay.com/2021/12/tom-lovejoy-prominent-cons...</a>
Richard Rhodes released his biography of E.O. Wilson a couple of months ago:<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Scientist-Wilson-Life-Nature/dp/038554555X" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Scientist-Wilson-Life-Nature/dp/03855...</a><p>Rhodes is famous for this book, that’s often mentioned on HN<p>Making of the Atomic Bomb:
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1451677618/" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1451677618/</a>
"If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos."<p>— Edward O. Wilson
Evolutionary biologists are divided on his work. His own research and published works have been used by racists for example to readily explain the social origins of intelligence, poverty, crime, and violence regarding POC. He never actively fought against such tendencies, even though he was aware that he had become the darling of white nationalists, and even fascists globally. I believe that ALL "traits" can be explained by social environment rather than by biology. I respectfully refer you to many of Gould's work on sociobiology. We are not insects we are human beings.