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Helical Biography and the Historical Craft: The Case of Altruism and George Price

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Abstract

The life of George Price (1922–1975), the eccentric polymath genius and father of the Price equation, is used as a prism and counterpoint through which to consider an age-old evolutionary conundrum: the origins of altruism. This biographical project, and biography and history more generally, are considered in terms of the possibility of using form to convey content in particular ways. Closer to an art form than a science, this approach to scholarship presents both a unique challenge and promise.

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Correspondence to Oren Harman.

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Harman, O. Helical Biography and the Historical Craft: The Case of Altruism and George Price. J Hist Biol 44, 671–691 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10739-011-9269-5

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