Joseph Nicholas Abraham- MD
- Adjunct at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Joseph Nicholas Abraham
- MD
- Adjunct at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
About
16
Publications
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Introduction
I am a physician, evolutionary biologist, and author. I recently published 'Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths: From Alexander to Hitler to the Corporation.' The book reconsiders civilization from the perspective of biology & medicine, and won 14 awards. https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Conquerors-Psychopaths-Alexander-Corporation/dp/0578680599/
I also post thoughts about evolutionary biology, behavior, learning, and epistemology, on my blog Bookscrounger.com.
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Current institution
Publications
Publications (16)
The traditional view of speciation under the New Synthesis works through mechanisms of small evolution, which are considered to act when a species becomes geographically divided (allopatric speciation), or when mechanisms work within a geographic area to genetically divide a species (sympatric speciation). Punctuated Equilibria, however, requires l...
Small evolution is Darwinian gradualism, a probable natural selection occurring from among existing alleles. But large evolution is punctuated equilibria, explosive innovation, where new alleles—neolleles—are randomly generated against great improbabilities. Evolutionary pressure is effective in selecting among alleles in gradualism, but it is of n...
There are complications and limitations associated with the terms 'microevolution' and 'macroevolution.' In particular, many biologists see the two as the same process, simply representing different points on a gradient of Darwinian gradualism: microevolution is change within a species, and macroevolution is change beyond the species. However, punc...
Somewhere between the New Synthesis and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis, the theory of Punctuated Equilibria appeared. But it raises large problems that the two former do not readily address: where does a completely new gene, a 'neollele' come from? Punctuated equilibria is highly improbable, and so the statistical tools of probability are of l...
Malthus, competition for limited resources, and the concept of 'carrying capacity' all make it clear that the vast majority of living things die in each generation. The layman does not see this, he largely sees the beauty of nature. But the biologist is well aware of the constant death and grinding suffering in life. And until quite recently, and w...
The first law of biology is Malthusian superfecundity: all organisms will reproduce until they outstrip their resources. Humanity is not exempt.
Biomimicry is a complicated attempt to arrive at simple, natural solutions that often result from the Ideal Free Distribution.
The disciplines of ecology and economics build on the same theories, and both are important for understanding Homo economicus, and his struggles with delayed gratification.
The input of biologists in public policy can help us understand the disruptions of human progress; one example of this is 'the bourgeois strategy.'
Infinite monkeys aren't needed to type out Shakespeare, nor the human genome. But both still seem impossible. So just how did Shakespeare write Shakespeare? And just how did life build humanity?
As large as astronomical numbers are, biological numbers are vastly larger. In addition, biological systems comprise a meticulous, repeatable order that is not present in astronomical systems. But the real difference between biology and the 'hard' sciences, is that life innovates. Physics and chemistry study what has been true for billions of years...
In considerations of sexual floral size dimorphism, there is a conflict between sexual selection theory, which predicts that larger floral displays attract more pollinators, and optimality theory—particularly the ideal free distribution—which predict that pollinators' visits should match nutritional rewards. As an alternate explanation of this dimo...
Sexual selection research has become increasingly confusing, currently comprising no fewer than eleven various, and sometimes mutually exclusive, theories. A review suggests that sexual selection was unclear from the beginning, as there are mismatches among Darwin’s sexual selection problem (increased male mortality), Darwin’s sexual selection defi...
In 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions', Thomas Kuhn laid out the characteristics of a paradigmatic crisis. These include a proliferation of theories; a disagreement about the definition of the current paradigm; and ad hoc modifications by scholars of current theories in an attempt to resolve inconsistencies and contradictions. Currently there...
Both male ornamentation and male combat result in increased male mortality. Because population sizes are limited by a carrying capacity, increased age-specific adult male mortality will result in decreased age-specific adult female mortality, as well as decreased juvenile mortality. As intersexual competition is one form of intraspecific competitio...
