The Truth About EVOLUTION PLAINLY TOLD
CURTIS, DR. WINTERTON C.
The Truth About EVOLUTION PLAINLY TOLD VII. Organic Evolution Next Week: Human Evolution By DR. WINTERTON C. CURTIS By DR. W. C. CURTIS VI. The Fact, the Course, and The Causes of Organic...
...The difficulties which weigh upon the professional j biologist need not trouble the layman...
...pressing doubt as to the main -act of Evolution...
...Every available line of argument converges on this inevitable conclusion...
...E.—Survival of the Fittest...
...The importance of Darwin's work in the history of scientific thought is that it convinced science of the truth of Organic Evolution and proposed a then plausible theory of Evolutionary causation...
...No other hypothesis, however, has completely displaced it...
...The/ tabulation known as Wallace's Chart, which i* an admirable outline of the argument may be cited in this connection: WALLACE'S CHART OF NATURAL SELECTION...
...It remtins the most satisfactory explanation of the origin adaptations, although its allsufficiency is no longer accepted...
...If the origin of map were not involved, there would be presumsbly little serious opposition from nonscientiflc sources at the present day...
...Extended exposition of the selection process will not be attempted...
...Organic Evolution, or the origin of animal and plant life, receives a similar support from the facts of biology...
...However, there is room for new epplicants, s* *e wu*i to hsve a charter membership of 50 strong, and those desiring to join us before installation night mey t'o e» by conrlng to pur headquarters, I Attorney »treet, any night between S aid 10 p. m . end tiling out the ep-' SdfceaSsea blanks...
...The historical Fact of Evolution seems attested by overwhelming evidence...
...In the last paragraph j (copy enclosed) you will find a statement in the most explicit words I could find, giving the opinion which appears to me forced upon us by tho farts--an opinion shared, I suppose, by every man of science in the world...
...B— Total number* Stationary...
...That is as much of the matter as can be made clear without special study, as you and I very well know...
...These three aspects, like those in the voyage of a ship, are seperate through related items...
...Of recent years, this theory of the causes of Evolution ha* suffered a decline...
...C—Struggle for Existence...
...There are many, even today, who rejoice at anything that appears to weaken this msjor generalization of biology...
...It ia now regarded by < ampetant scientists as the only rational explanation of sn overwhelming mass of facts...
...The obscurantist has nothing to suggest which is worth a moment's attention...
...He affirmed his belief in the historic fact when he said "Our faith in Evolution is unshaken"—meaning by "faith," of of course, a reasonable belief retting upon evidence...
...Ceaeeeaewcee ' Struggle for Existence...
...If one species could be shown to give rise to another, the same process could be continued...
...When such confessions are made the enemies of science see their chsnce...
...Very truly, W. BATESON...
...We may count ourselves hsppy if we are not all hanged like the Clerk of Chatham, with our fens and ink horns about our necks 1 j "I have looked through my Tor-' onto address again...
...Darwinian Theory, meaning Natural Selection...
...Any day that mystery may be solved...
...Science has nothing to conceal, it stands "strong in the strength 'if demonstrable facts," and invites you to view the evidence...
...Structural Modifications...
...The required number of candidates for the formation of a new branch have already made out implications and been examined by the physician...
...Dear Professor Curtis: "The papers you have sent me relating to the case of Mr.-give a curious picture of life under democracy...
...The types thus produced could deI part indefinitely from the parent | form...
...and (3) the Cauaes that made th* ship go, whether an internal propelling force like steam of electricity, an external force like wind or current, or even direction by wireless...
...No limit could be set...
...In condemning selection as an inadequate explanation of the problem, biologists have often seemed to condemn Evolution itself...
...If we can not declare here and now how species arose, they will obligingly offer us the solutions with which obscurantism is satisfied...
...Origin of I Specie...
...As a result of this situation, there has been much discussion among scientists regarding the adequscy of what is often referred.-Jo as the...
...This point may not seem vital, but those interested in biological science frequently find the .situation used «o support claims that the enUrc concept of Organic Evolution has fallen into disrepute...
...I that the plants and animale,^ncluding most certainly man, have been evolved from other and very different forms of life...
...Let us then proclaim in precise unmistakable language that our faith in Evolution is unshaken...
...The origin, by evolution, of the heavenly bodies and of our earth is evidenced by facts of astronomy and geology .is . act forth in any elementary treatise on these science...
...Survival of the Fittest (Nstural Selection...
...They must be constantly distinguished, if there is- to be any clear thinking on this matter by one who is not a scientist...
...2) the Course followed in Evolution, for instance, whether the land vertebrates arose from the fish-like ancestors, birds from reptiles, or the like...
...Proved Facte A—Rapid Increase of Numbers...
...Nothing to Conceal It is now possible to explain ne misunderstanding above c'ted...
...Suppose we j begin with an analogy, illus-j trating what may be termed the Fact, the Course, and the Causes in a progressive series of events...
...That synthesis will follow of an analysis we do not and can not doubt...
...The campaign against the teach ing of Evolution is a terrible example of the way in which truth can be perverted by the ignorant, You may use as much of (this letter as you like and I hope it may be of service...
...Oar I win's accomplishment was two | fold...
...In organic Evolution or the modification of non-living matter ia thus supported by science snd does not And serious pposition in the public mind...
...The total result was overwhelming, coming as it did more than 100 years after the original promulgation of the theory of transmutation and its repeated rejection by the main body of naturalists, revolution was accepted so quickly by scientists that the world was startled...
...The interest of investigators has shifted to problems df • variation and heredity, as exemplified try the rise of the science of genetics...
...Compared with the doctrine of Evolution, we have...
...The Perversion Of Truth That such an interpretion of Professor Bsteson's views is the correct one, sppears from the following communication : "The Manor House, Merton, London, S.W...
...The Fact, the Course, and The Causes of Organic Evolution AT THIS point we may examine a common misunderstanding with reference to Evolution and the work of Charles Darwin...
...This branch will be installei and chartered by the General Office on Sunday evening, Sept...
...He does not understand that what is thus meant by Darwinism is not the historic fact of Evolution, but the proposed cause of Evolution—Natural Selection...
...This sudden conversion gave rise to the Impression, even among scientific workers, that no serious contribution to evolutionary theory had been made before the work of Darwin...
...13, 1925, at 8 p. m., at the club rooms of the 4th A. D., 8 Attorney street...
...As to the ature of this process of Evolution, we have many conjectures, but little positive knowledge...
...Such, then, is the more strictly' scientific status of the doctrine jf Evolution as a whole...
...2) the Course the ship may have pursued, whether direct or indirect, and the like...
...A ship leaves a European port and saila acroa the Atlantic to New York harbor...
...I took occasion to call the attention of ray colleagues to the loose thinking snd unproven assumptions -vhich pa** current as to the actual processes of Evolution...
...The initial step in Evolution is the appearance of Individual variations which are perpetuated by heredity, rather than the selection of variations after they have appeared...
...The Course pursued by Evolution is known broadly in many instances, but in the nature of the ease the evidence is limited nad many of the step* vill elway* remain uncertain, without, however, a calling in question of the historic fact...
...Darwin's evolutionary argument in his "Origin of Spcies" was that one species could give rise to another "by means," as he believed, "of Natural Selection or the preservation of favored races in the struggle for life...
...The paragraph to which Professor Bsteson refers above is the concluding one of his address and runs as follows: Darwin's Accomplishments "I have put before you very frankly the consideration which have made us agnostic as #to the actual mode and processes of Evolution...
...At Toronto I was addressing an audience, mainly professional...
...and (3) the Causes of Evolution, or what made and makes it happen...
...Since Darwin's time, Evolution as the historic fact has received confirmation on every hand...
...The cent strictures of Professor Batespon, which have been exploited by anti- Evolutionists, were directly, wholly at current explanations of evolutionary causation and the course of Evolution...
...Secondly, he offered, in Natural Selection, what then appeared an a/ieqirate explanation for the origin of species and hence for the cautet of Evolution...
...I see nothing i in it which can be construed as ex...
...The Case of Natural Selection But the case of Natural Selection is far different...
...1) the Fact of ' Evolution, as representing the historical series of events...
...D.—Variation and Heredity...
...With this distinction between Fact, Course and Causes clearly in mind, the significance of Darwin's work in the history of biological thought can be understood...
...The Supporting Evidence His argument was suported by an immense collection of facta along observational and experimental lines...
...We may distinguish between: (1) the Fact that the ship actually crossed the ocean, instesd of being "created" in the harbor of New York...
...We do know New Workmen's Circle Branch Now Forming Members of Circle 7, Y. P. 8. L., and 4th A. D. Socialist Party, Manhattan, have organized an Englishspeaking branch of the Workmen's Circle...
...Our doubts are now as to the reality or truth of Evolution, but as to the origin of tpeciei, a technical, almost domestic, problem...
...It is not strange that the layman, for whom Darwinism and Evolution are synonymous terms, believes that Evolution has been rejected when he heirs that belief in Darwinism is on the wane...
...Its strength lies in1 the extent to which it gives meaning to so many phenomena that would be meaningless without such an hypothesis...
...Such an impression does not represent the facts and it does grave injustice to the pioneer thinkers >f the eighteenth century to whom we have alluded...
...It may b* found in numerous elementary reference books, and in th* early chapter* of the...
...The cogent statement and the simplicity of the principle of selection were of great importance for its acceptance as the cause of Evolution, along with the broader theory of Evolution as the historic fact...
...11 December, 1922...
...Once the mutability of spei cies be admitted, the only reasonable conclusion is that Evolution has taken place...
...Darwin's second accomplishment, Natural Selection, was accepted by science as a causo-mechanical explanation of evolutionary change...
...In the first place, he established Organic Evolution as the only reasonable explanation of the past history of living things...
...The discoveries of th* last twentyfive yeari enable us for the first time to discuss these questions intelligently and on a basis of fact...
...The Causes of Evolution present the most difficult problem of all and the one regarding which we know the least...
...F—Change of Environment...
Vol. 2 • September 1925 • No. 37
