The importance of Earnst

Earnst Mayr died at 100 today. Just an amazing thinker. I wonder what Bill Wimsatt is thinking right about now...at a meeting in Sacramento today I discussed "big problems" and thought of him. Comes around and goes around I suppose.

I think it's pretty interesting but I was rather fond of evolutionary biology and genetics, and Earnst's work in college - so much so that I took a particularly enjoyable class on the subject (Wimsatt's Genetics in an Evolutionary Perspective) a second time. Maybe it is not so strange that a subject so unrelated to the majority of my studies would have such a lasting and widespread impact on my thinking. The field of the history of the philosophy of science is one that has become very dear to me and I suspect Wimsatt owed much to Mayr on the subject(and so, I suppose then, do I).

A few weeks ago I purchased as a gift to someone J. Weiner's Beak of the Finch, which I read in that class as well...

At the same time the class also served as an introduction to Dawkins' work and memetics...all testiment to Wimsatt's intellect and interests, both of which were formidable and deserving of much respect if not envy.

Here's to allopatric speciation! (from a proud west coaster)

Fond memories...