HUMAN PROSPECTS — BLACKWELDER 283 



the scene, so it is not easy for us to forecast the nature and potential- 

 ities of that new species of Homo which may appear in the distant 

 future, unless indeed our genus itself has by that time run its course 

 and it is not destined to oflfer the world anything further. It is of 

 little consequence whether such a new species may have smaller 

 teeth, a skin less hairy, or taller stature. The only way in which 

 he is likely to outstrip Homo sapiens effectively is in the quality of 

 his brain. Will he be able to absorb knowledge more rapidly and re- 

 member it better? Will his imagination be keener; will he reason 

 out his problems more effectively; and, above all, will his life and 

 conduct be controlled by his intellect rather than by his feelings? 

 If so, he may be able to take knowledge in larger doses, profit more 

 by the stored-up experience of others, instead of merely his own, and 

 by the lessons of history. He should be far more educable than any 

 earlier species in the family. 



It may be objected that these speculations are hardly optimistic, 

 that they do not present a hopeful picture, and that they do not neces- 

 sarily envisage continued progress toward a far higher and better 

 human world. To this I must reply that a scientist is under no 

 obligation to be an optimist. His only concern must be to approach 

 nearer to the truth. If the truth offers hope, we may rejoice. If it 

 fails to do so, we are not thereby justified in denying or even ignoring 

 it. As King Solomon long ago advised, let us get understanding, and 

 by so doing we may reach a serenity of outlook that will fit us better 

 to play a worthy part in the great drama of human evolution. 



REFERENCES 



COPELAND, E. B. 



1928. Natural conduct, Stanford Univ. Press. 

 Ctjbtiss, O. F. 



1939. Education by authority or for authority? Are science teachers teach- 

 ing science? Science, n.s., vol. 90, pp. 100-101. 

 Hawkins, H. L. 



1930. A paleontologist looks at life. Cotteswold Nat. Field Club, Proc, 

 vol. 23, p. 219. 



JOEDAN, D. S. 



1924. Science and sciosophy. Science, n.s., vol. 59, pp. 563-569. 



