THE DOGMA OF EVOLUTION 



dress by Professor William Bateson/^ a leading biolo- 

 gist of England. As a frank and authoritative state- 

 ment of the position of modern evolution, its effect 

 has been to startle even the less thoughtful scientists 

 out of their complacency; it should be read in full. 

 Professor Bateson says: "Discussions of evolution 

 came to an end primarily because it was obvious that 

 no progress was being made. . . . When students of 

 other sciences ask us what is now currently believed 

 about the origin of species we have no clear answer 

 to give. Faith has given place to agnosticism. . . . 

 Biological science has returned to its rightful place, 

 investigation of the structure and properties of the 

 concrete and visible world. We cannot see how the 

 differentiation into species came about. Variation of 

 many kinds, often considerable, we daily witness, 

 but no origin of species. ... I have put before you 

 very frankly the considerations which have made us 

 agnostic as to the actual mode and processes of evo- 

 lution. When such confessions are made the enemies 

 of science see their chance. . . . Let us then pro- 

 claim in precise and unmistakable language that our 

 faith in evolution is unshaken." Again, we see that 

 men of science are still under the delusion that they 

 are hounded by a host of enemies. Can they contem- 

 plate the course of history for the last half century 

 and not see that implicit belief in Darwinian evolu- 



13 "Evolutionary Faith and Modern Doubts," An address deliv- 

 ered to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 28 December, 1921. Science, vol. LV, p. 55. 



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