urban@spp2.UUCP (12/19/84)
I seem to recall a quote in an issue of Newsweek that dealt with evolution a couple of years ago in which an evolutionist remarked upon the genetic similarity between chimps and humans. One quote in particular sticks in my mind: observing that it would probably be possible to cross the two species, he added that "it is difficult to imagine an experiment that is at the same time as scientifically interesting and morally repugnant." I may still have the article at home, and I'll try to hunt up the exact quote. Mike
blossom@dspo.UUCP (12/22/84)
> I seem to recall a quote in an issue of Newsweek that dealt > with evolution a couple of years ago in which an evolutionist > remarked upon the genetic similarity between chimps and humans. > One quote in particular sticks in my mind: observing that it > would probably be possible to cross the two species, he > added that "it is difficult to imagine an experiment that is > at the same time as scientifically interesting and morally > repugnant." I may still have the article at home, and I'll > try to hunt up the exact quote. > > Mike "I demand of you, and of the whole world, that you show me a generic character ... by which to distinguish between Man and Ape. I myself most assuredly know of none. I wish somebody would indicate one to me. But, if I had called man an ape, or visa versa, I would have fallen under the ban of all the ecclesiastics. It may be that as a naturalist I ought to have done so. " Carl Linnaeus .... 1788 .... founder of taxonomy Darwin also thought of the idea of speciation as an artificial distinction applied by man, and described the process as a continuum. j. blossom LANL