In 2010, my two Harvard mathematician colleagues and I dismantled kin-selection theory, which was the reigning theory of the origin of altruism at the time. E. O. Wilson More Quotes by E. O. Wilson More Quotes From E. O. Wilson But I feel music has a very important role in ritual activity, and that being able to join in musical activity, along with dancing, could have been necessary at a very early stage of human culture. E. O. Wilson musical dancing important One thing I did was grow up as an ardent naturalist. I never grew out of my bug period. E. O. Wilson bugs growing-up periods The education of women is the best way to save the environment. E. O. Wilson save-the-environment environment way It's the technique, I think, of writing a novel that is difficult for a nonfiction writer. E. O. Wilson technique writing thinking In many environments, take away the ants and there would be partial collapses in many of the land ecosystems. E. O. Wilson ecosystems land ants I'm very much a Christian in ideals and ethics, especially in terms of belief in fairness, a deep set obligation to others, and the virtues of charity, tolerance and generosity that we associate with traditional Christian teaching. E. O. Wilson generosity teaching christian We don't need to clear the 4 to 6 percent of the Earth's surface remaining in tropical rain forests, with most of the animal and plant species living there. E. O. Wilson rain tree animal I was a senior in high school when I decided I wanted to work on ants as a career. I just fell in love with them, and have never regretted it. E. O. Wilson senior careers school The two major challenges for the 21st century are to improve the economic situation of the majority and save as much of the planet as we can. E. O. Wilson majority challenges two To the extent that philosophical positions both confuse us and close doors to further inquiry, they are likely to be wrong. E. O. Wilson inquiry philosophical doors An Armageddon is approaching at the beginning of the third millennium. But it is not the cosmic war and fiery collapse of mankind foretold in sacred scripture. It is the wreckage of the planet by an exuberantly plentiful and ingenious humanity. E. O. Wilson sacred humanity war What's been gratifying is to live long enough to see molecular biology and evolutionary biology growing toward each other and uniting in research efforts. E. O. Wilson effort research long Human existence may be simpler than we thought. There is no predestination, no unfathomed mystery of life. Demons and gods do not vie for our allegiance. Instead, we are self-made, independent, alone, and fragile, a biological species adapted to live in a biological world. What counts for long-term survival is intelligent self-understanding, based upon a greater independence of thought than that tolerated today even in our most advanced democratic societies. E. O. Wilson independent intelligent self Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal. E. O. Wilson renaissance gains nature It's obvious that the key problem facing humanity in the coming century is how to bring a better quality of life - for 8 billion or more people - without wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt. E. O. Wilson population-problem keys people I've found that good dialogue tells you not only what people are saying or how they're communicating but it tells you a great deal - by dialect and tone, content and circumstance - about the quality of the character. E. O. Wilson quality character people It's always been a great survival value for people to believe they belong to a superior tribe. That's just in human relationships. E. O. Wilson survival believe people Biodiversity is the totality of all inherited variation in the life forms of Earth, of which we are one species. We study and save it to our great benefit. We ignore and degrade it to our great peril. E. O. Wilson variation benefits earth In the attempt to make scientific discoveries, every problem is an opportunity — and the more difficult the problem, the greater will be the importance of its solution. E. O. Wilson motivation inspiration opportunity Far more important throughout the rest of science is the ability to form concepts, during which the researcher conjures images and processes by intuition. E. O. Wilson intuition form important
