J. S. Kennedy (1912–1993): A Clear Thinker in Behavior's Confused World

Abstract

This is an account of the scientific life of John Stodart Kennedy, Fellow of the Royal Society; Emeritus Professor of Animal Behaviour at Imperial College, London; the holder of numerous scientific honors; and known to us all as JSK. He was not at heart an entomologist; his principal interest was in the integration of animal behavior, but he pursued that interest through a lifetime's study of locusts, aphids, and moths, especially in the context of how they integrated their flight behavior. Two features marked his science: an obsession with accurate, objective quantification of animals' behavioral responses through experimentation and a ruthless demolition of anthropomorphic analyses of behavioral causes. This biography is both a history of his scientific work and a tribute to a hugely admired colleague, research leader, and friend of some 30 years. The details of Kennedy's life were provided in part by his family, in part by the autobiographical notes he wrote for the Royal Society, and in part by his surviving colleagues from those early years; the last three decades are based on the author's personal knowledge and observation.