darwin and modern science-第48节
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laeontology; and maintained the effort to reform the classification of animals and plants in an evolutionary sense。 The first rough drafts of pedigrees that were published in the 〃Generelle Morphologie〃 have been improved time after time in the ten editions of my 〃Naturaliche Schopfungsgeschichte〃 (1868…1902)。 (English translation; 〃The History of Creation〃; London; 1876。) A sounder basis for my phyletic hypotheses; derived from a discriminating combination of the three great recordsmorphology; ontogeny; and palaeontologywas provided in the three volumes of my 〃Systematische Phylogenie (Berlin; 1894…96。) (1894 Protists and Plants; 1895 Vertebrates; 1896 Invertebrates)。 In my 〃Anthropogenie〃 (Leipzig; 1874; 5th edition 1905。 English translation; 〃The Evolution of Man〃; London; 1905。) I endeavoured to employ all the known facts of comparative ontogeny (embryology) for the purpose of completing my scheme of human phylogeny (evolution)。 I attempted to sketch the historical development of each organ of the body; beginning with the most elementary structures in the germ…layers of the Gastraea。 At the same time I drew up a corrected statement of the most important steps in the line of our ancestral series。
At the fourth International Congress of Zoology at Cambridge (August 26th; 1898) I delivered an address on 〃Our present knowledge of the Descent of Man。〃 It was translated into English; enriched with many valuable notes and additions; by my friend and pupil in earlier days Dr Hans Gadow (Cambridge); and published under the title: 〃The Last Link; our present knowledge of the Descent of Man〃。 (London; 1898。) The determination of the chief animal forms that occur in the line of our ancestry is there restricted to thirty types; and these are distributed in six main groups。
The first half of this 〃Progonotaxis hominis;〃 which has no support from fossil evidence; comprises three groups: (i) Protista (unicellular organisms; 1…5: (ii) Invertebrate Metazoa (Coelenteria 6…8; Vermalia 9… 11): (iii) Monorrhine Vertebrates (Acrania 12…13; Cyclostoma 14…15)。 The second half; which is based on fossil records; also comprises three groups: (iv) Palaeozoic cold…blooded Craniota (Fishes 16…18; Amphibia 19; Reptiles 20: (v) Mesozoic Mammals (Monotrema 21; Marsupialia 22; Mallotheria 23): (vi) Cenozoic Primates (Lemuridae 24…25; Tailed Apes 26…27; Anthropomorpha 28…30)。 An improved and enlarged edition of this hypothetic 〃Progonotaxis hominis〃 was published in 1908; in my essay 〃Unsere Ahnenreihe〃。 (〃Festschrift zur 350…jahrigen Jubelfeier der Thuringer Universitat Jena〃。 Jena; 1908。)
If I have succeeded in furthering; in some degree; by these anthropological works; the solution of the great problem of Man's place in nature; and particularly in helping to trace the definite stages in our ancestral series; I owe the success; not merely to the vast progress that biology has made in the last half century; but largely to the luminous example of the great investigators who have applied themselves to the problem; with so much assiduity and genius; for a century and a quarterI mean Goethe and Lamarck; Gegenbaur and Huxley; but; above all; Charles Darwin。 It was the great genius of Darwin that first brought together the scattered material of biology and shaped it into that symmetrical temple of scientific knowledge; the theory of descent。 It was Darwin who put the crown on the edifice by his theory of natural selection。 Not until this broad inductive law was firmly established was it possible to vindicate the special conclusion; the descent of man from a series of other Vertebrates。 By his illuminating discovery Darwin did more for anthropology than thousands of those writers; who are more specifically titled anthropologists; have done by their technical treatises。 We may; indeed; say that it is not merely as an exact observer and ingenious experimenter; but as a distinguished anthropologist and far…seeing thinker; that Darwin takes his place among the greatest men of science of the nineteenth century。
To appreciate fully the immortal merit of Darwin in connection with anthropology; we must remember that not only did his chief work; 〃The Origin of Species〃; which opened up a new era in natural history in 1859; sustain the most virulent and widespread opposition for a lengthy period; but even thirty years later; when its principles were generally recognised and adopted; the application of them to man was energetically contested by many high scientific authorities。 Even Alfred Russel Wallace; who discovered the principle of natural selection independently in 1858; did not concede that it was applicable to the higher mental and moral qualities of man。 Dr Wallace still holds a spiritualist and dualist view of the nature of man; contending that he is composed of a material frame (descended from the apes) and an immortal immaterial soul (infused by a higher power)。 This dual conception; moreover; is still predominant in the wide circles of modern theology and metaphysics; and has the general and influential adherence of the more conservative classes of society。
In strict contradiction to this mystical dualism; which is generally connected with teleology and vitalism; Darwin always maintained the complete unity of human nature; and showed convincingly that the psychological side of man was developed; in the same way as the body; from the less advanced soul of the anthropoid ape; and; at a still more remote period; from the cerebral functions of the older vertebrates。 The eighth chapter of the 〃Origin of Species〃; which is devoted to instinct; contains weighty evidence that the instincts of animals are subject; like all other vital processes; to the general laws of historic development。 The special instincts of particular species were formed by adaptation; and the modifications thus acquired were handed on to posterity by heredity; in their formation and preservation natural selection plays the same part as in the transformation of every other physiological function。 The higher moral qualities of civilised man have been derived from the lower mental functions of the uncultivated barbarians and savages; and these in turn from the social instincts of the mammals。 This natural and monistic psychology of Darwin's was afterwards more fully developed by his friend George Romanes in his excellent works 〃Mental Evolution in Animals〃 and 〃Mental Evolution in Man〃。 (London; 1885; 1888。)
Many valuable and most interesting contributions to this monistic psychology of man were made by Darwin in his fine work on 〃The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex〃; and again in his supplementary work; 〃The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals〃。 To understand the historical development of Darwin's anthropology one must read his life and the introduction to 〃The Descent of Man〃。 From the moment that he was convinced of the truth of the principle of descentthat is to say; from his thirtieth year; in 1838he recognised clearly that man could not be excluded from its range。 He recognised as a logical necessity the important conclusion that 〃man is the co…descendant with other species of some ancient; lower; and extinct form。〃 For many years he gathered notes and arguments in support of this thesis; and for the purpose of showing the probable line of man's ancestry。 But in the first edition of 〃The Origin of Species〃 (1859) he restricted himself to the single line; that by this work 〃light would be thrown on the origin of man and his history。〃 In the fifty years that have elapsed since that time the science of the origin and nature of man has made astonishing progress; and we are now fairly agreed in a monistic conception of nature that regards the whole universe; including man; as a wonderful unity; governed by unalterable and eternal laws。 In my philosophical book 〃Die Weltratsel〃 (1899) (〃The Riddle of the Universe〃; London; 1900。) and in the supplementary volume 〃Die Lebenswunder〃 (1904) 〃The Wonders of Life〃; London; 1904。); I have endeavoured to show that this pure monism is securely established; and that the admission of the all…powerful rule of the same principle of evolution throughout the universe compels us to formulate a single supreme lawthe all…embracing 〃Law of Substance;〃 or the united laws of the constancy of matter and the conservation of energy。 We should never have reached this supreme general conception if Charles Darwina 〃monistic philosopher〃 in the true sense of the wordhad not prepared the way by his theory of descent by natural selection; and crowned the great work of his life by the association of this theory with a naturalistic anthropology。
IX。 SOME PRIMITIVE THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF MAN。
By J。G。 FRAZER。 Fellow of Trinity College; Cambridge。
On a bright day in late autumn a good many years ago I had ascended the hill of Panopeus in Phocis to examine the ancient Greek fortifications which crest its brow。 It was the first of November; but the weather was very hot; and when my work among the ruins was done; I was glad to rest under the shade of a clump of fine holly…oaks; to inhale the sweet refreshing perfume of the wild thyme which scented all the air; and to enjoy the distant prospects; ric