W. D. Hamilton

W. D. Hamilton

William Donald "W. D." Hamilton, FRS (1 August 1936 – 7 March 2000) was a British evolutionary biologist, widely recognised as one of the greatest evolutionary theorists of the 20th century.

Hamilton became famous through his theoretical work expounding a rigorous genetic basis for the existence of kin selection and altruism, an insight that was a key part of the development of a gene-centric view of evolution. He is considered one of the forerunners of sociobiology, as popularized by E. O. Wilson. Hamilton also published important work on sex ratios and the evolution of sex. From 1984 to his death in 2000, he was a Royal Society Research Professor at Oxford University.

Read more about W. D. Hamilton:  Early Life, Hamilton's Rule, Spiteful Behaviour, Extraordinary Sex Ratios, Chasing The Red Queen, Return To Britain, Social Evolution, Expedition To The Congo, Death, Awards, Biographies

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    Earth that bore with joyful ease
    Hemlock for Socrates,
    Earth that blossomed and was glad
    ‘Neath the cross that Christ had,
    Shall rejoice and blossom too
    When the bullet reaches you.
    —Charles Hamilton Sorley (1895–1915)