Evolution Epigrams

Evolution

Not a single one of your ancestors died young. They all copulated at least once.

Richard Dawkins (b. 1941), English zoologist. The New Yorker,
"Richard Dawkins’s Evolution", Sept. 9, 1996.
Debating "Does God Exist?" with Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz

It is curious how there seems to be an instinctive disgust in Man for his nearest ancestors and relations. If only Darwin could conscientiously have traced man back to the Elephant or the Lion or the Antelope, how much ridicule and prejudice would have been spared to the doctrine of Evolution.

Havelock Ellis (1859—1939), British psychologist.
Impressions and Comments (1914), entry for 8 May 1913.

It is disturbing to discover in oneself these curious revelations of the validity of the Darwinian theory. If it is true that we have sprung from the ape, there are occasions when my own spring appears not to have been very far.

Cornelia Otis Skinner (1901—79), U.S. author, actor.
The Ape in Me,"The Ape in Me" (1959).

Organic life, we are told, has developed gradually from the protozoon to the philosopher, and this development, we are assured, is indubitably an advance. Unfortunately it is the philosopher, not the protozoon, who gives us this assurance.

Bertrand Russell (1872—1970), British philosopher, mathematician.
Mysticism and Logic, ch. 6 (1917).

The question is this–Is man an ape or an angel? My Lord, I am on the side of the angels. I repudiate with indignation and abhorrence these new fangled theories.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804—81), English statesman, author.
Speech, 25 Nov. 1864, Diocesan Conference, Oxford.

While Darwinian Man, though well-behaved,
At best is only a monkey shaved!

W. S. Gilbert (1836—1911), English librettist.
Lady Psyche, in Princess Ida, act 2.

Intelligence

I was taught that the human brain was the crowning glory of evolution so far, but I think it’s a very poor scheme for survival.

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (b. 1922), U.S. novelist.
Quoted in: Observer (London, 27 Dec. 1987).

Back to Sermon