ORIGIN OF MAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1935, Page 10

ORIGIN OF MAN

SCIENTISTS DISAGREE.

LONDON, January 19

An old controversy has been revived by a statement made by - Sir Ambrose Fleming, 0.M., the distinguished scientist and engineer, in his presidential address to the Philosophical Society of Great Britain.'

Sir Ambrose analysed the evidence concerning the discoveries of remains of supposed ancestors of "man.” “I submit,”, he said, “that we cannot consider we have any serious proof ofilie evolution of modern man from an animal stock.

“We haye not the very smallest knowledge of how empty space first became occupied with the most rudimentary form of matter. Neither have we any conception of how life originated. We cannot in any way bring it into existence apart from previous life. Here, then, are two great gaps which no evolutionary theory has been able to bridge.” Materialistic biologists would not admit any independent existence of something called mind or spirit apart from the operation of brain. There were, however, many strong indications that the mind was something more than brain, although the brain might be the instrument of the mind. “The problem which the evolutionist has to face is to explain how it comes to pass that if men and the anthropoid apes have a common ancestor, all the above astonishing powers and faculties should be present in ever-advanc-in degree in man and toially absent in the collateral animal, the ape.

“We have not merely to account for the bodily form; we have to explain the appearance of these immensely progressive psychical and spiritual powers as well. Modern anthropolog.v furnishes no sufficient answer to this question. _ We can quite appropriately assert that the origin of man is to be looked for in the creative power of a self-conscious Creator, and Supreme Intelligence and Will. We cannot, however, assume that a mere abstract term such as evolution, which merely connotes gradual chaifge, is a vera causa in a scientific sense. Accordingly, it is no explanation at all to assert that man has been evolved from an animal form.”

Sir Grafton Elliot-Smith, one of the leading anthropologists, is among those who have taken up the challenge. He said his life's work had bmn based on “the fundamental conviction that, the Darwinian theory is essential]'.true.”

“It is very daring indeed.” he said, "to describe it as Sir Ambrose docs, yhat carries conviction most with me is that thousands of line.-: of work have been based on this theory, and many new discoveries have been made in consequence. Some/ of the most brilliant work was done by Professor Davidson Black, whose death last year at 49 we lament. Me was the inspiring force in the whole Cainozoic research in China. I have induced so many brilliant young men to work on their problems on the assurance that the premises of evolution were trustworthy that I feel keenly such statements by a scientist in another sphere of work, in complete ignorance of what is happening in the world today.”

MENTAL POWERS OF APES

On the subject of mental powers of num "toially absent in the ape,” Si r

Grafton said: —

“This very question, asked by Sir Ambrose with such assurance, has been dealt with exhaustively by several scientists recently, notably Dr. S. Zuckerman in his ‘Functional Affinities of Man, Monkeys, and Apes,’ and by Dr. W. E. Le Gros Clerk in his ■‘Early Forerunners of Man.’ These two are now working at this subject at Oxford.

“Some of my own assistants at University College Hospital carried out vitally .important experiments to determine visual discrimination of the baboon. They w r ere able to show that the baboon has powers of visual discrimination of exceptional precision. The creature could pick up colours that a good many shop people could not distinguish—subtle shades of grey not appreciated by ordinary salesmen. “It is difficult to say where these experiments might have stopped, but the baboon eventually killed itself by twisting a chain round its neck. “Brilliant work in this subject has also been done by Dr. Koehler in his ‘Mentality of Apes, Chimpanzees, and Gorillas.’ He shows that they had the germs of the ability to appreciate problems and devise solutions.

“These investigations show clearly the possession by apes of the powers that Sir Ambrose denies them. Given the right conditions, apes are quite capable of improving their mental ability.” Sir Arthur Keith'has also discussed the matter.

“Darwin’s proof of evolution announced in the ‘Descent of Man’ over 60 years ago,” he said, '‘was so eonelusive that no biologist ’ since has been able to overthrow it. It has been confirmed by every discovery made since, which extends the antiquity of man. “No doubt, in my various works, I have underestimated the age of man. My results have been on the conservative side. There is no doubt man goes back half a million years. Man is no sudden or rapid growth.

“Sir Ambrose asks; Why are astonishing powers and faculties found in man and totail.v absent in the collateral animal, the ape? “He cannot swear that; neither can I.” Sir Arthur Keith said. “I do not know. Why is a Sir Isaac Newton born in one family and an idiot in another? What light has Sir Ambrose to throw on that?

“We presume the law of gravity, to keep the world together: we presume evolution to explain the differences between animals and man. There is. of course, a strong anatomical relationship between the two.”