Ford Doolittle
Encyclopedia
Dr. W. Ford Doolittle is a biochemist
.
, he is a professor
at Dalhousie University
in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He received his BA
in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University
in 1963 and his PhD
from Stanford University
in 1967.
Since joining the biochemistry
department at Dalhousie in 1971, Dr. Doolittle has made significant contributions to the study of cyanobacteria, found evidence for the endosymbiont
hypothesis of chloroplasts' origins, developed a theoretical basis for the initial evolution of eukaryotes and shown the importance of horizontal gene transfer
in prokaryotic evolution.
In 1981, Dr. Doolittle received some level of notoriety for his article in The CoEvolution Quarterly entitled "Is Nature Really Motherly?". A sharp rebuttal of J. E. Lovelock
's formulation of the Gaia Theory, Doolittle's article is often cited by Lovelock's critics.
Because of his philosophical musings on the non-existence of an all-encompassing Tree of Life, Doolittle has occasionally been cited on Intelligent Design
blogs. However, though Doolittle argues that a bifurcating tree is not an adequate metaphor for the evolution of life on earth, he is not a supporter of Intelligent Design
. A single common ancestor and tree relating all of life on earth is not a necessary component of the theory of descent with modification, the essence of evolution.
He is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
In addition to his contributions to evolutionary biology, Doolittle is an artist who studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
.
, he is a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He received his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1963 and his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1967.
Since joining the biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
department at Dalhousie in 1971, Dr. Doolittle has made significant contributions to the study of cyanobacteria, found evidence for the endosymbiont
Endosymbiont
An endosymbiont is any organism that lives within the body or cells of another organism, i.e. forming an endosymbiosis...
hypothesis of chloroplasts' origins, developed a theoretical basis for the initial evolution of eukaryotes and shown the importance of horizontal gene transfer
Horizontal gene transfer
Horizontal gene transfer , also lateral gene transfer , is any process in which an organism incorporates genetic material from another organism without being the offspring of that organism...
in prokaryotic evolution.
In 1981, Dr. Doolittle received some level of notoriety for his article in The CoEvolution Quarterly entitled "Is Nature Really Motherly?". A sharp rebuttal of J. E. Lovelock
James Lovelock
James Lovelock, CH, CBE, FRS is an independent scientist, environmentalist and futurologist who lives in Devon, England. He is best known for proposing the Gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the biosphere is a self-regulating entity with the capacity to keep our planet healthy by controlling...
's formulation of the Gaia Theory, Doolittle's article is often cited by Lovelock's critics.
Because of his philosophical musings on the non-existence of an all-encompassing Tree of Life, Doolittle has occasionally been cited on Intelligent Design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
blogs. However, though Doolittle argues that a bifurcating tree is not an adequate metaphor for the evolution of life on earth, he is not a supporter of Intelligent Design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
. A single common ancestor and tree relating all of life on earth is not a necessary component of the theory of descent with modification, the essence of evolution.
He is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
In addition to his contributions to evolutionary biology, Doolittle is an artist who studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
External links
- Personal homepage at Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
- Doolittle Lab website at Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
- Archaea and the Prokaryote-to-Eukaryote Transition, with James R. Brown,
- Phylogenetic Classification and the Universal Tree, ,
- A Kingdom-Level Phylogeny of Eukaryotes Based on Combined Protein Data, with S. L. Baldauf, A. J. Roger, I. Wenk-Siefert, ,
- W.F.Doolittle on Google Scholar
- Taking an axe to the Tree of Life, an article describing Doolittle's views on updating Darwin's theory.