Famed biologist, entomologist and colleague of 2009 presenter and behavioral biologist Bert Hölldobler, E. O. Wilson is featured in this video from SEED. In it, he offers a definition of behavioral biology, a subject addressed as well at the 2008 IdeaFestival by University of Louisville professor and author of the "Altruism Equation" and, more recently, "Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose," Lee Dugatkin.
"There is such a thing," as he says, as "human nature."
This seemingly common sense idea idea was in direct opposition to much 20th century thinking (that sounds so long ago!) that the human mind was a blank slate, or the view that humans are born without any built in mental content, that all knowledge came from an individual's experience of the world. Of course, "human nature" is an old idea idea to followers of the monotheistic faiths, but, as described by Wilson, the serious study of its biological roots has contributed - in fact, made possible - subsequent studies in behavioral economics.
It's a moving portrait of one of the towering figure in the recent history of science.
Wayne
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