Pulitzer Prize-winner and UA alumnus E.O. Wilson will visit campus Tuesday to give two public talks, in addition to meeting with students and faculty of the Blount Undergraduate Initiative.
Wilson’s first public talk, a colloquium titled, “Consilience Twelve Years Later,” will be in Morgan Auditorium from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The second talk will be a lecture called “Biodiversity in the Future,” and will take place in Sellers Auditorium in Bryant Conference Center at 7 p.m.
According to a news release, three additional speakers will attend the colloquium: Richard Richards, an associate professor at UA, Michael Ruse, an expert on Darwinism, and Jim Otteson, a joint professor of philosophy and economics at Yeshiva University in New York. Wilson will sign books at both talks.
Joseph Hornsby, director of the Blount Initiative, said Wilson’s visit is part of the Blount Initiative’s 10th anniversary. Hornsby said it is appropriate that Wilson visits because students read his works as part of the Blount program.
“Wilson is a large part in the curriculum of the Blount program,” Hornsby said.
Richards, an associate professor in the department of philosophy, said this visit will be the second time Wilson has visited the University for the Blount Undergraduate program. Richards described Wilson’s visit as fitting because “Consilience” was one of the inspirations for the Blount Undergraduate Initiative and because the work is part of a fourth-year Capstone course.
Richards said he will introduce the colloquium and the idea of consilience, which basically states that all knowledge should be unified through science.
Richards said the idea for Wilson to speak about the current state of “Consilience” came about at Wilson’s 80th birthday conference in May 2009. Richards said he and Wilson talked about “Consilience” at dinner before Richards suggested Wilson come to the University to talk about the book’s current status and what people think about the ideas in the book now. Richards said the colloquium will be interesting because “Consilience,” written in 1998, was a controversial book when it was first published.
Hornsby said besides giving public talks, Wilson will visit some creative writing classes and some of the biology faculty. Hornsby said that as a UA alumnus, Wilson wanted to come back to the University to visit.
“He just wanted a chance to meet those groups,” Hornsby said.
Wilson has received several awards in addition to his Pulitzer Prize. Wilson received the U.S. National Medal of Science and in 1995, Time named him one of the 25 most influential people in America.
Many people also consider Wilson the founder of the theory of sociobiology, which states that evolutionary forces shape human and animal behavior. Wilson’s first novel, “Anthill,” a story about a boy who tries to save a forest, will appear in stores April 5.
Richards said he is delighted that Wilson will visit Tuscaloosa once again.
“It’s such an honor for the university to have someone like him come,” Richards said.
