. The humour of Homer, and other essays. Edited by Streatfield with a biographical sketch of the author by Henry Festing Jones . ferred to without other, forthe most part, than off-hand dismissal by ProfessorWeismann in the last of the essays that have beenrecently translated, I do not see how anyone whobrings an unbiassed mind to the question can hesitateas to the side on which the weight of testimony Weismann declares that the transmissionof mutilations may be dismissed into the domain offable.^ If so, then, whom can we trust ? What isthe use of science at all if the
. The humour of Homer, and other essays. Edited by Streatfield with a biographical sketch of the author by Henry Festing Jones . ferred to without other, forthe most part, than off-hand dismissal by ProfessorWeismann in the last of the essays that have beenrecently translated, I do not see how anyone whobrings an unbiassed mind to the question can hesitateas to the side on which the weight of testimony Weismann declares that the transmissionof mutilations may be dismissed into the domain offable.^ If so, then, whom can we trust ? What isthe use of science at all if the conclusions of a man ascompetent as I readily admit Mr. Darwin to have been,on the evidence laid before him from countless sources,is to be set aside lightly and without giving the clearest ^ Essays, etc., p. 447. The Deadlock in Darwinism 291 and most cogent explanation of the why and where-fore ? WTien we see a person ostrichizing theevidence which he has to meet, as clearly as I believeProfessor Weismann to be doing, we shall in nine casesout of ten be right in supposing that he knows theevidence to be too strong for him. WK. ONTARIO TheDeadlock in Darwinism Part III NOW let me return to the recent division ofbiological opinion into two main streams—Lamarckism and Weismannism. Both Lamarckiansand Weismannists, not to mention mankind in general,admit that the better adapted to its surroundings aliving form may be, the more likely it is to out breed itscompeers. The world at large, again, needs not to betold that the normal course is not unfrequentlydeflected through the fortunes of war ; nevertheless,according to Lamarckians and Erasmus-Darwinians,habitual effort, guided by ever-growing intelligence—that is to say, by continued increase of power in thematter of knowing our likes and dislikes—^has been somuch the main factor throughout the course of organicdevelopment, that the rest, though not lost sight of,may be allowed to go without saying. According, onthe other han
Size: 1892px × 1321px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorbutlersa, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1913
