In 1984, edward wilson published a slim volume called biophilia. The superorganism, with bert holldobler, a new book with information on termites, wasps, bees and ants, will be published in november. Wilson harvard university museum of comparative zoology 26 oxford street cambridge ma 0282902 email. Wilson s books, starting with the diversity of life.
Wilsons books, starting with the diversity of life. It is an exciting journey of ideas but also an endearing portrait of a. In it he proposed the eponymous term, which literally means love of life, to label. Sociobiology and the ants, he has decided to put himself into a book. Wilson is a worldrenowned expert on ants, but his work in recent years has shifted toward conservation and reconciling the oftencompeting arenas of religion and science in that effort. Wilson from the arctic to south africa one finds them everywhere. Wilson 1929 is a naturalist, environmentalist, ecologist, entomologist, and humanist who is acclaimed as the father of biodiversity. Apr 01, 2008 in 1984, edward wilson published a slim volume called biophilia.
Holldobler and wilson have also written a much shorter and more accessible popular book, journey to the ants. Wilson of ants and men chronicles the famed biologist and pulitzer prizewinning authors lifelong love for the natural world and the groundbreaking research that would establish him as the foremost authority on ants. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Wilson finds hope in selfless ants and ecology studies. Wilson, is an american biologist, naturalist, and writer. This omits most of the fascinating biological detail as well as the reference material and technical apparatus, focusing on some of the more dramatic and unusual ants. In it he proposed the eponymous term, which literally means love of life, to label what he defined as humans innate tendency to. Download the ants pdf by bert holldobler, edward o. The bulk of the book falls roughly into two parts, with the chapters in the first covering general features of ant life cycles.
He was also the foremost proponent of sociobiology, the study of the genetic basis of the social behaviour of all animals, including humans wilson received his early training in biology at the university of alabama b. Wilsonof ants and men to premiere september 30 on pbs. Sep 21, 2015 beginning with his unusual childhood in alabama, e. I used his biogeographical theory as part basis for a thesis and, as an evolutionary sociologist, i lapped up his consilience.
Wilson have joined together to tell how they took this. Wilson interweave their personal adventures with the social lives of ants, building, from the first minute observations of childhood. Edward osborne wilson, university research professor emeritus at harvard, is the guiding force that shapes the mission of the e. I saw the ants in a bookstore and was amazed by the book, its breadth of subject, physical layout, and photography. Wilson, including the diversity of life, and the future of life, and more on. In the final chapter of the book sociobiology wilson argues that the human mind is shaped as much by genetic inheritance. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the leafcutter ants. Wilson is the pulitzer pricewinning author of the ants and the naturalist. The ants is a stunningly attractive volume that belongs as much on the coffee table as it does on the lab bench the 20 chapters are organized thematically, and they are written in. Wilson has written over 20 books, mostly nonfiction, anthill is his first fiction title. A monumental achievement, the last word in myrmecology, the study of ants. In addition to two pulitzer prizes one of which he shares with bert hoelldobler, wilson has won many scientific awards, including the national medal of science and the crafoord prize of the royal swedish academy of sciences.
Contentious or not, wilsons books have mostly addressed one theme. Wilson, the harvard professor of biology who is the. March 19, 2019 the acclaimed naturalist delivers a pithy summary of evidence for darwinian evolution of human behavior. The truth of human physical evolution, although denied by many laymen, hasnt troubled scientists since the 19th century. Winner of 2 pulitzer prizes, and considered by many to be the worlds leading authority on ants, e.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. O wilson takes cue from ants in his views on human. Wilson s childhood fascination with insects and other living things matured into an intellectual passion that fired one of the greatest careers in modern science. The beauty, elegance and strangeness of insect societies. Wilson, in his new book, which is modestly titled the meaning of human existence, puts our pygmy planet in a different context. Wilson is the author of more than thirty books, including anthill, a novel, and the meaning of human existence, a finalist for the national book award. One of the leading figures in sociobiology, he is often dubbed as the father of sociobiology. Look to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise, says the proverb.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard, counsels the book of proverbs, consider her ways and be. Wilson received the pulitzer prize for nonfiction writing in 1991. The winner of two pulitzer prizes, wilson is a professor emeritus at harvard university and lives with his wife, irene, in. His biological specialty is myrmecology, the study of ants, on which he has been called the worlds leading expert. Wilson of ants and men is a film about the life and extraordinary scientific odyssey of one of americas greatest living thinkers, e. O wilson takes cue from ants in his views on human social. In large format, with almost a thousand line drawings, photographs, and paintings, it is one of the most visually rich and allencompassing views of any group of.
Wilson, coauthor of the ants, which won the pulitzer prize for general nonfiction. He was also the foremost proponent of sociobiology, the study of the genetic basis of the social behaviour of all animals, including humans. He is the author of several books, including the ants, for which he and his coauthor, e. Wilson and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Wilsons new take on human nature the eminent biologist argues in a controversial new book that our stone age emotions are still at war with our hightech sophistication. I had read wilson s and holldoblers popular account of ant societies. The winner of two pulitzer prizes, wilson is a professor emeritus at harvard university and. On the eve of his 90th birthday, he continues to argue for the relevance of evolutionary and ecological science to human affairs. If you try to read this in bed, you wont be able to breathe because of the mass on your chest. The pulitzer prizewinning authors of the ants render the extraordinary lives of the social insects in this visually spectacular volume. This is the definitive scientific study of one of the most diverse animal groups on earth. His biological specialty is myrmecology, the study of ants, on which he has been called the worlds leading expert wilson has been called the father of sociobiology and the father of biodiversity for his environmental advocacy, and his secularhumanist and deist. Edward wilson is an entomologist specializing in ants, social animals that are as different from humans as any on earth. Ap wilson synthesized his enormous body of knowledge on the social insects ants, bees, wasps and termites in his masterful work, the insect societies, published in 1971.
Wilson asks if there is anything more important than human nature or, in other words, who we are and why. It brings back the joy of science and restores the sense of wonder, it is truly food for thought. Wilson on how a pivotal childhood experience helped shape his career. Wilson, in full edward osborne wilson, born june 10, 1929, birmingham, alabama, u. Wilson, the influential naturalist, evolution theorist and author who introduced the idea of sociobiology in the 1970s, sits in his home office. Oct 10, 2014 the biologist and naturalist edward o. The ants bert holldobler, foundation professor of biology. Most recently i read a short kindle version on ants by wilson and someone else. The book bursts to life with wilson s observations of nature, from fire ants and social spiders to starlings. The ants is a zoology textbook by the german entomologist bert holldobler and the american entomologist e.
Wilson is pellegrino university professor, emeritus, at harvard university. The other specialist material is scattered through the remainder of the book, in the form of tables showing the taxonomic distribution of particular traits or features. View a collection of videos on professor wilson entitled on the relation of science and the. Wilson is also professor emeritus at harvard, so there are many reasons why one should give this work some time and energy to read. Mar 28, 1990 i had read wilsons and holldoblers popular account of ant societies. Wilson s twentyfirstcentury statement on darwinian evolution. It won the pulitzer prize for general nonfiction in 1991. So, i wanted that word biodiversity to remind us how little we know about the natural world and of the danger that we destroy it before we even know its there. This biography provides detailed information regarding his childhood, profile, career and timeline. He was also the foremost proponent of sociobiology, the study of the genetic basis of. Ants by bert holldobler, edward o wilson powells books.
This is a beautiful and comprehensive book that summarizes what is known about ants. The ants is a stunningly attractive volume that belongs as much on the coffee table as it does on the lab bench the 20 chapters are organized thematically, and they are written in a clear, accessible and engaging style. Wilson of ants and men will be broadcast nationwide on pbs on september 30 at 9 p. Wilson, is an american biologist who is widely considered to be the worlds leading authority on ants. Wilson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The winner of two pulitzer prizes, wilson is a professor emeritus at harvard university and lives with his wife, irene, in lexington, massachusetts. By the time he completed graduate school he was already winning recognition as the worlds foremost authority on ants. The book is intended for specialist, but is readable by anyone with a basic background in natural history. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Wilson is writing a book on the forces of social evolution. Wilsonof ants and men chronicles the famed biologist and pulitzer prizewinning authors lifelong love for the natural world and the groundbreaking research that would establish him as the foremost authority on ants.
His biological specialty is myrmecology, the study of ants, on which he has. Wilson has a new book, the social conquest of earth, and it is already prompting sharp criticism from fellow scientists. Making up nearly 15% of the entire terrestrial animal biomass, ants are impressive not only in quantitative terms, they also fascinate by their highly organized and complex social system. Wilson made his first major entomological discovery at age. The ants is a pulitzer prizewinning book, written in 1990, by bert holldobler and e. Wilson is a renowned american biologist who is a specialist in the study of ants or myrmecology. Wilson pulitzer prizewinning author of on human nature and the ants a dazzling journey across the sciences and humanities in search of deep laws to unite them.
931 162 145 1121 1049 586 1265 622 1522 1157 805 1088 137 133 1548 606 2 1453 1365 1346 1521 443 22 257 979 334 1111 979 134 1456 921 1466 1343 1326 392 334 876 915 1490 506 38 511 389 1030 394 1415