George C. Williams

About the Author

George C. Williams was a pioneering evolutionary biologist whose groundbreaking work reshaped our understanding of natural selection and its implications for human health and behavior. Born in 1926, he earned his PhD from the University of Toronto and spent much of his career at Stony Brook University, where he influenced generations of scientists with his rigorous, adaptationist perspective. Williams challenged prevailing notions in evolutionary theory, emphasizing the role of senescence and life-history strategies in shaping organisms. His seminal book, Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine, co-authored with Randolph Nesse, applies Darwinian principles to explain the origins of disease, arguing that many illnesses are byproducts of adaptations that once conferred survival advantages. Williams' clear-eyed analysis continues to inform modern medicine and biology, underscoring the evolutionary roots of our vulnerabilities.