Wolfgang Wickler
Wolfgang Wickler | |
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University of Munich | |
Thesis | Behavior of Fish |
Wolfgang Wickler (18 November 1931 – 12 January 2024) was a German
Career
After finishing secondary school in 1951, Wickler studied
Wickler's area of specialisation was the reconstruction of
Wickler received great attention in the broad public in 1981 with the sociobiologically shaped book, "Das Prinzip Eigennutz" (The Principle of Self-Interest), which Wickler wrote with Ute Seibt, as well as the book, "Männlich – weiblich. Ein Naturgesetz und seine Folgen" (Male - Female, a Natural Law and its Consequences), also written with Ute Seibt in 1983. The focal point of both books was the evolution of behavior. The central question was formulated as, "How must the behavior of living things have been formed, if the theory of evolution is correct?" (from the foreword to "Das Prinzip Eigennutz"). Although their books did not deny cultural influences on human behavior, they were reproached for taking these influences into consideration marginally, at most. It is extremely unusual that new editions several of his books continue to be published, decades after their first publications.
In November 1997, the council of the Max Planck Society decided to close the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology, with the retirement of Prof. Wolfgang Wickler on 30 November 1999. Its ornithological research has been continued in the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (in Erling-Andechs, Radolfzell and Seewiesen).
Along with the former Bonn behavioral biologist, Hanna-Maria Zippelius, Wolfgang Wickler was one of the most aggressive critics of the instinct theory of his mentor, Konrad Lorenz.
Wolfgang Wickler was married to Agnes Oehm from 1956, had four grown children and was also active as an organist. He died on 12 January 2024, at the age of 92.[2]
Selected publications
- Wickler, W.: Mimikry. Nachahmung und Täuschung in der Natur. Munich: 1968. in German
- — Mimicry in Plants and Animals (Translated by R. D. Martin) McGraw-Hill, New York: 1968. ISBN 0-07-070100-8
- — Mimicry in Plants and Animals (Translated by R. D. Martin) McGraw-Hill, New York: 1968.
- Wickler, W.: Sind wir Sünder?: Naturgesetze d. Ehe. With intro. by Konrad Lorenz. Munich: 1969. in German
- Wickler, W.: Antworten der Verhaltensforschung. Munich: 1970. in German
- Wickler, W.: Verhalten und Umwelt. Hoffmann und Campe Verlag, Hamburg: 1972. in German
- Wickler, W. and Seibt, U. (publ.): Vergleichende Verhaltensforschung (Reader). Hamburg: 1973. in German
- Wickler, W.: Stammesgeschichte und Ritualisierung. Zur Entstehung tierischer und menschlicher Verhaltensmuster. Munich: 1975. in German
- Wickler, W.: Die Biologie der Zehn Gebote. Warum die Natur für uns kein Vorbild ist. Munich: 1991 (new edition). in German
- — The Biology of the Ten Commandments (Translated by David Smith) New York, McGraw-Hill: 1972). ISBN 0-07-073758-4.
- — The Biology of the Ten Commandments (Translated by David Smith) New York, McGraw-Hill: 1972).
- Wickler, W. and Seibt, U.: Das Prinzip Eigennutz. Zur Evolution sozialen Verhaltens. Munich / Zurich: 1991 (new edition). in German
- Wickler, W. and Seibt, U.: Männlich Weiblich. Ein Naturgesetz und seine Folgen. Heidelberg / Berlin: 1998 (new edition). in German
- Wickler, W. and Seibt, U.: Kalenderwurm und Perlenpost. Biologen entschlüsseln ungeschriebene Botschaften. Heidelberg / Berlin: 1998. in German
External links
- Wickler's Home Site at the Max Planck Institute at the Wayback Machine (archived 10 June 2007)
References
- ^ munzinger.de
- ^ "Wolfgang Wickler". SZ Gedenken. Retrieved 19 January 2024.