Darwin and Modern ScienceSeward, A. C. (Albert Charles)
Philosophy
Darwin and Modern Science
Seward, A. C. (Albert Charles)
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882; Evolution (Biology); Science -- History
Finally, it must be briefly mentioned that in regard to remains of human
handicraft also, the material at our disposal has greatly increased of
late years, that, as a result of this, the opinions of archaeologists
have undergone many changes, and that, in particular, their views in
regard to the age of the human race have been greatly influenced. There
is a tendency at the present time to refer the origin of man back to
Tertiary times. It is true that no remains of Tertiary man have been
found, but flints have been discovered which, according to the opinion
of most investigators, bear traces either of use, or of very primitive
workmanship. Since Rutot's time, following Mortillet's example,
investigators have called these "eoliths," and they have been traced
back by Verworn to the Miocene of the Auvergne, and by Rutot even to the
upper Oligocene. Although these eoliths are even nowadays the subject of
many different views, the preoccupation with them has kept the problem
of the age of the human race continually before us.
Geology, too, has made great progress since the days of Darwin and
Lyell, and has endeavoured with satisfactory results to arrange the
human remains of the Diluvial period in chronological order (Penck). I
do not intend to enter upon the question of the primitive home of the
human race; since the space at my disposal will not allow of my
touching even very briefly upon all the departments of science which are
concerned in the problem of the descent of man. How Darwin would have
rejoiced over each of the discoveries here briefly outlined! What use
he would have made of the new and precious material, which would have
prevented the discouragement from which he suffered when preparing the
second edition of "The Descent of Man"! But it was not granted to him to
see this progress towards filling up the gaps in his edifice of which he
was so painfully conscious.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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