Narrow Roads of Gene Land, Volume 2: Evolution of Sex
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Author Description
W.D. Hamilton is considered by many the most important theoretical biologist of the 20th century. He has made major discoveries in evolutionary biology, genetics, and social behavior, and his essays continue to exert tremendous influence throughout the discipline. This second volume of his collected papers focuses on his groundbreaking work on sex and sexual selection. It contains the 18 papers he published between 1980 and 1991, many of them examining the role of parasites and disease in promoting genetic diversity. For each paper, Hamilton has written an accessible introduction describing why the work was done, how the paper came to be written, and its eventual fate. An invaluable collection for biologists, this book also provides general readers with deep insights into the sometimes surprising mechanics of evolutionary processes.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the evolutionary mechanisms that drive the persistence and development of sexual reproduction and sexual selection in biological populations. W. D. Hamilton, a preeminent theoretical biologist, compiles his research papers from 1980 to 1991 to articulate his theories on genetic diversity. The text utilizes a combination of mathematical modeling and biological observation to argue that parasites and disease play a critical role in the maintenance of sex. Hamilton provides personal introductions for each paper, contextualizing the development of his ideas within the broader history of evolutionary science.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the Red Queen hypothesis regarding host-parasite coevolution.
- Mathematical models explaining the genetic advantages of sexual reproduction.
- Collected primary research papers published between 1980 and 1991.
- Author-provided commentary detailing the historical and scientific motivation for each study.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this collection as a foundational text for understanding modern evolutionary theory and the specific mechanics of sexual selection. Readers frequently note the technical density of the mathematical arguments while appreciating the clarity provided by Hamilton's retrospective introductions.
Page Count:
928
Publication Date:
2002-01-17
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0198503369
ISBN-13:
9780198503361
Non-Fiction
Science
Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Genes
Genetics
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