It is a failing of our species that we ignore and even despise the creatures whose lives sustain our own. (p.294)
Edward Osborne Wilson was born in 1929 and pursued a long career in biology, specialising in myrmecology, the study of ants, about which he came to be considered the world’s leading expert, and about which he published a massive textbook as well as countless research papers.
As well as his specialist scientific writing, Wilson has also published a series of (sometimes controversial) books about human nature, on collaborative species of animal (which led him to conceive the controversial theory of sociobiology), and about ecology and the environment.
(They’re controversial because he considers humans as just another complex life form, whose behaviour is dictated almost entirely by genetics and environment, discounting our ability to learn or change: beliefs which are opposed by liberals and progressives who believe humans can…
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The Logical Place 
Hi Tim Harding,
I have thanked Simon for reviewing this 1992 seminal book “The Diversity of Life” by Edward O Wilson, who has given us the terms “biodiversity” and “biophilia”.
I have owned a copy of the book for 20 odd years. Would you agree and/or recommend that we could learn a great deal about ourselves and Nature via the notion of “Biophilia” as first proposed by Edward O Wilson?
I would like to recommend an excellent book to you. It is Edward O Wilson’s “Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge”, which is a national bestseller. Wilson has received many fellowships, awards and honours, including two Pulitzer prizes.
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I have a copy of E. O. Wilson’s Consilience book, but I haven’t read it yet. Thanks for the recommendation. I can’t really comment on the concept of biophilia, as it is outside my expertise.
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I have owned “Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge” for many years. It is definitely worth your while to read the book if you have the time and energy to spare.
And I love the word “Consilience”, which I have used in my very long “About” page at https://soundeagle.wordpress.com/about/
May you have a satisfactory week ahead, Tim.
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Dear Tim,
Three months have passed since I submitted a pair of comments here. This is my third comment for this post.
As you probably already know, Edward Osborne Wilson, the father of “sociobiology” and “biodiversity”, who coined the term “biophilia”, has recently departed. How sad it is to learn that the eminent scientist and writer has passed away on Boxing Day! Needless to say, we shall continue to remember the enormous contributions and miss the presence of a truly great human being. Had he lived for another ten years, perhaps another two or three books could have materialized. Of all the scientists and writers who have passed away in my lifetime, his departure is of the most profound loss for me.
My recent post entitled “We have Paleolithic Emotions; Medieval Institutions; and God-like Technology” is a very special tribute to Wilson. Indeed, I have been very substantially improving this post since it was first published, and welcome your esteemed feedback and thoughts there, and I shall be very delighted if you were to be so kind as to submit a comment there. It is available at
Wishing you and your family a productive week doing or enjoying whatever that satisfies you the most, whether physically, intellectually or spiritually!
Yours sincerely,
SoundEagle
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Dear Tim,
Please pardon my mistake. I meant two years and three months have passed since I submitted a pair of comments here.
Yours sincerely,
SoundEagle
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Dear Tim,
There is another mistake too. The correct link to my said post entitled “We have Paleolithic Emotions; Medieval Institutions; and God-like Technology” is at
This is the correct post and is much longer with detailed discussions; whereas the other one mainly just features the ten illustrations.
Yours sincerely,
SoundEagle
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