Branches of Knowledge

Edward O. Wilson, who is Harvard's Pellegrino University ProfessorEmeritus, has built a legacy so elaborate that it's difficult toidentify which field of science he has most influenced. Some havecalled him a modern-day Darwin. At his core, however, he is anentomologist.

"… consider forming an alliance to do something thatscience and religion, the most powerful social forces in the world, areuniquely prepared to do: save the creation."

In the late 1950s, Wilson discovered pheromones as the basis ofchemical communication in ants. He identified 624 ant species in onegenus and named 337 of them (19 percent of all ant species in theWestern hemisphere). He's been recognized internationally forcontributions to science and the humanities and has received numerousawards including the National Medal of Science and Japan'sInternational Prize for Biology. He's won two Pulitzers. And if RachelCarson is the mother of the modern-day environmental movement, EdwardO. Wilson is quite arguably its father.

I'm going to buy his book Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, whichis about demonstrating that all knowledge is intrinsically linked, bothwithin the sciences and between science and the humanities. I mean thisguy sounds amazing right? And if you are like me, not savvy inmodern-day sciences, his essays and books are gonna blow your mind. I'malso intrigued by the fact that he is somebody that might be rememberedin 100 years, but we have a chance to believe with him right here andnow. Makes me wonder how many other people in the world are like Edward?