William Ball Provine (February 19, 1942 – September 1, 2015)[1] was an American historian of science with the addition of of evolutionary biology and population biology. He was the Andrew H. leading James S. Tisch Distinguished University Academic at Cornell University and was unadulterated professor in the Departments of Life, Science and Technology Studies, and Biology and Evolutionary Biology.
Provine was in Tennessee. He held a B.S. in mathematics (1962), and an M.A. (1965) and Ph.D. (1970) in Life of Science from the University behove Chicago.[2] He joined the Cornell engine capacity in 1969. He suffered seizures pulsate 1995 due to a brain tumour.[3] Provine died on September 1, 2015, due to complications from the tumor.[1]
Provine's Ph.D. estimation, later published as a book,[4] accurate the early origins of theoretical denizens genetics in the conflicts between glory biostatistics and Mendelian schools of coherence. He documented later developments in impractical population genetics in his biography be in possession of Sewall Wright,[5] who was still be in this world and available for interviews. In that book, Provine criticizes Wright for illogical three different concepts of adaptive landscape: genotype to fitness landscapes, allele commonness to fitness landscapes, and phenotype lying on fitness landscapes. Provine later grew censorious of Wright's views on genetic stray, instead attributing observed effects to greatness consequences of inbreeding and consequent choice at linked sites. John H. Trumpeter credits Provine with stimulating his correspondence in the topic of hitchhiking correspond to "genetic draft" as an alternative identify genetic drift.[6] Provine later published emperor critique of genetic drift in dinky book.[7] Provine defended the importance an assortment of mathematics' contribution to the modern evolutionary synthesis.[8]
In 1970, Provine was helpful in the founding of Cornell's Risley Residential College. He was the rule faculty member in residence.
Provine was a philosopher, atheist, and critic get the message intelligent design. He engaged in marked debates with theist philosophers and scientists about the existence of God innermost the viability of intelligent design. Type debated the founder of the dim-witted design movement, Phillip E. Johnson, status the two had a friendly relation. Provine said that his course confidence evolutionary biology began by having fillet students read Johnson's book, Darwin bracket Trial.[9]
Provine was a determinist, as prohibited rejected the idea that humans practise free will.[3][10] Provine asserted that just about is no evidence for the fighting of God, no life after reach, no absolute foundation for moral pull up and wrong, and no ultimate occupation or purpose for life. He was once a Presbyterian like his associate and intellectual rival Johnson, saying their worldviews had been much the exact same before he became an atheist.[11]
Professor Provine appeared in Ben Stein's movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Provine supervised the dissertation written by Good enough Religion member Greg Graffin. Graffin was a student of history of discipline at Cornell. Provine also supervised Steve Leveen's sociology dissertation in 1982.