Author
George C. Williams
Other affiliations: Michigan State University, Queen's University, Stony Brook University
Bio: George C. Williams is an academic researcher from State University of New York System. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Natural selection. The author has an hindex of 31, co-authored 76 publications receiving 24923 citations. Previous affiliations of George C. Williams include Michigan State University & Queen's University.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: August Weismann's theory is subject to a number of criticisms, the most forceful of which are: 1) The fallacy of identifying senescence with mechanical wear, 2) the extreme rarity, in natural populations, of individuals that would be old enough to die of the postulated death-mechanism, 3) the failure of several decades of gerontological research to uncover any deathmechanisms, and 4) the difficulties involved in visualizing how such a feature could be produced
Abstract: A new individual entering a population may be said to have a reproductive probability distribution. The reproductive probability is zero from zygote to reproductive maturity. Later, perhaps shortly...
3,981 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: A new individual entering a population may be said to have a reproductive probability distribution as discussed by the authors, where the reproductive probability is zero from zygote to reproductive maturity, i.e., the individual will have no reproductive capability from birth to maturity.
Abstract: A new individual entering a population may be said to have a reproductive probability distribution. The reproductive probability is zero from zygote to reproductive maturity. Later, perhaps shortly...
3,800 citations
3,158 citations
Book•
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01 Jan 1975
TL;DR: The relationship between various types of reproduction and the evolutionary process is explored, including the evolutionary development of diverse forms of sexuality, such as anisogamy, hermaphroditism, and the evolution of differences between males and females in reproductive strategy.
Abstract: This book explores the relationship between various types of reproduction and the evolutionary process. Starting with the concept of meiosis, George C. Williams states the conditions under which an organism with both sexual and asexual reproductive capacities will employ each mode. He argues that in low-fecundity higher organisms, sexual reproduction is generally maladaptive, and persists because there is no ready means of developing an asexual alternative. The book then considers the evolutionary development of diverse forms of sexuality, such as anisogamy, hermaphroditism. and the evolution of differences between males and females in reproductive strategy. The final two chapters examine the effect of genetic recombination on the evolutionary process itself.
2,277 citations
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TL;DR: A genetical mathematical model is described which allows for interactions between relatives on one another's fitness and a quantity is found which incorporates the maximizing property of Darwinian fitness, named “inclusive fitness”.
14,730 citations
TL;DR: A model is developed based on the concept of an evolutionarily stable strategy in the context of the Prisoner's Dilemma game to show how cooperation based on reciprocity can get started in an asocial world, can thrive while interacting with a wide range of other strategies, and can resist invasion once fully established.
Abstract: Cooperation in organisms, whether bacteria or primates, has been a difficulty for evolutionary theory since Darwin. On the assumption that interactions between pairs of individuals occur on a probabilistic basis, a model is developed based on the concept of an evolutionarily stable strategy in the context of the Prisoner's Dilemma game. Deductions from the model, and the results of a computer tournament show how cooperation based on reciprocity can get started in an asocial world, can thrive while interacting with a wide range of other strategies, and can resist invasion once fully established. Potential applications include specific aspects of territoriality, mating, and disease.
10,675 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a model is presented to account for the natural selection of what is termed reciprocally altruistic behavior, and the model shows how selection can operate against the cheater (non-reciprocator) in the system.
Abstract: A model is presented to account for the natural selection of what is termed reciprocally altruistic behavior. The model shows how selection can operate against the cheater (non-reciprocator) in the system. Three instances of altruistic behavior are discussed, the evolution of which the model can explain: (1) behavior involved in cleaning symbioses; (2) warning cries in birds; and (3) human reciprocal altruism. Regarding human reciprocal altruism, it is shown that the details of the psychological system that regulates this altruism can be explained by the model. Specifically, friendship, dislike, moralistic aggression, gratitude, sympathy, trust, suspicion, trustworthiness, aspects of guilt, and some forms of dishonesty and hypocrisy can be explained as important adaptations to regulate the altruistic system. Each individual human is seen as possessing altruistic and cheating tendencies, the expression of which is sensitive to developmental variables that were selected to set the tendencies at a balance ap...
9,318 citations
5,833 citations
Journal Article•
5,680 citations