Clash of the Titans

E. O. Wilson favors the more traditional individual-fitness-maximization model in understanding advanced eusociality, which is defined as occurring if the workers are sterile or if worker reproduction is suppressed by policing (Frank 1995) or queen manipulation (Reeve and Keller 1997). [...]he write...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBioscience Vol. 62; no. 11; pp. 987 - 991
Main Author Gintis, Herbert
Format Journal Article Book Review
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford University of California Press 01.11.2012
Oxford University Press
Subjects
Alleles
Behavior
Behavioral Sciences
Biological altruism
Child Rearing
DEPARTMENTS
Ecological competition
Fall Focus on Books
Generalization
Genes
Genomes
Genotype & phenotype
Helping Relationship
Humans
Insect colonies
Population size
Queen insects
Species
Wilson, Edward O
Workers
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Summary:E. O. Wilson favors the more traditional individual-fitness-maximization model in understanding advanced eusociality, which is defined as occurring if the workers are sterile or if worker reproduction is suppressed by policing (Frank 1995) or queen manipulation (Reeve and Keller 1997). [...]he writes in Social Conquest on page 144, The origin and evolution of eusocial insects can be viewed as processes driven by individual-level natural selection. To supporters of inclusive-fitness theory, these statements are outrageous and strike a blow at population genetics itself. Because of its visibility in the journal Nature, Nowak, Tarnita, and Wilson's (2010) critique of inclusive-fitness theory has drawn the collective ire of a host of prominent population biologists.
ISSN:0006-3568
1525-3244
DOI:10.1525/bio.2012.62.11.8