W. D. Hamilton
Pioneering evolutionary biologist known for genetic basis of altruism and sociobiology.
Chronology: 1936-08-01 – 2000-03-07
Origins & Early Life
William Donald Hamilton (1 August 1936 – 7 March 2000) was a British evolutionary biologist, recognised as one of the most significant evolutionary theorists of the 20th century. Hamilton became known for his theoretical work expounding a rigorous genetic basis for the existence of altruism, an insight that was a key part of the development of the gene-centered view of evolution. He is considered one of the forerunners of sociobiology. Hamilton published important work on sex ratios and the evolution of sex.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
From 1984 to his death in 2000, he was a Royal Society Research Professor at Oxford University. Richard Dawkins has written that Hamilton was "the greatest Darwinian of my lifetime". == Early life == Hamilton was born in 1936 in Cairo, Egypt, the second of seven children. His parents were from New Zealand; his father A.M. Hamilton was an engineer, and his mother Bettina Matraves Hamilton (nee Collier) was a physician.
Enduring Legacy & Impact
Two sisters qualified in medicine: Mary Bliss, who developed the alternating pressure mattress for the prevention of bedsores, and Janet who became a general practitioner. Another sister Margaret became a pasture scientist and brother an engineer. The Hamilton family...
Source: Wikipedia