1920 – 2004
John Maynard Smith (1920-2004) was a British evolutionary biologist and geneticist who pioneered the application of game theory to biology. He introduced the concept of the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS), transforming how biologists model animal behavior, conflict, and cooperation.
Introduced the concept of the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS)
Authored 'Evolution and the Theory of Games' (1982)
Developed the Hawk-Dove game model of animal conflict
Formulated the concept of the major transitions in evolution
Received the Crafoord Prize, Kyoto Prize, and Royal Medal