Franz M. Wuketits facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franz M. Wuketits
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Wuketits in 2007
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| Born | Franz Manfred Wuketits 5 January 1955 Parndorf, Burgenland, Austria |
| Died | 6 June 2018 (aged 63) Vienna, Austria |
| Occupation | Biologist |
| Language | German |
| Nationality | Austrian |
Franz Manfred Wuketits (born January 5, 1955 – died June 6, 2018) was an Austrian biologist and university teacher. He was also an epistemologist, which means he studied how we gain knowledge and what knowledge really is.
Wuketits wrote many books and articles. His main topics were the history and theory of biology, evolution theory, and how evolution affects our ethics (our ideas of right and wrong) and how we learn. He also wrote about sociobiology, which looks at how biology influences social behavior.
He helped start an Austrian group called "Mein Veto" (meaning "My veto"). This group worked to protect people's personal freedom and choices from too much government control.
Life and Education
Franz Wuketits studied many subjects at the University of Vienna from 1973 to 1978. He focused on zoology (the study of animals), paleontology (the study of fossils), and scientific theory. In 1978, he earned his doctorate degree. This is a very high academic degree.
In 1980, he completed another important academic step called a habilitation. His paper was about scientific theory, especially for the life sciences.
In 1982, he received the Austrian Prize for Scientific Journalism. This award recognized his skill in explaining science to the public.
Teaching Career
From 1987 to 2004, Wuketits taught at the University of Graz. There, he taught about the philosophy of biology. He also taught as a guest professor at other universities. These included the Vienna University of Technology and the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca.
Since 2002, he was part of the board at the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research. This institute studies evolution and how we think. He was also on the scientific board of the Giordano Bruno Foundation. This group supports "Evolutionary Humanism," which is a way of thinking that combines human values with scientific understanding of evolution.
Wuketits was also involved with several journals and publications. He helped edit Aufklärung & Kritik, a journal that promotes free thinking. From 2005 to 2008, he edited Bioscop, the journal for Austrian biologists.
Images for kids
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Wuketits in 2007
