The creed of a biologist : a biologic philosophy of life / by Aldred Scott Warthin.

  • Aldred Scott Warthin
Date:
1930
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The creed of a biologist : a biologic philosophy of life / by Aldred Scott Warthin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of the species. Each living individual today stands at the head of an infinitely long line of evolutionary development. Upon him rests the responsibility of the contin- uance of that line, and the possibility of its further evolution. That this can be best accomplished by the highest possible devel- opment of each individual is sufficiently clear and rational. Evolution is the keynote of life in general, but each individual plays a part in the whole collective scheme, however infinitesimal that part may seem to be. The more highly developed the individual is, the more perfectly adjusted to his environment he is, the greater will be the influence he will exert upon the evolutionary process. Evolution may be made purposive and creative, as far as the human individual is concerned. It can be made still more so if all the individuals of a given race play a conscious role in the process. But can any individual influence the course of evolution! We must believe that he can, although we cannot evaluate the part he plays. That acquired characters 416]>