CLICK TO
ENLARGEEvolution Cruncher Chapter 19
Evolution, Morality, and Violence part 1
Evolutionary theory is ruining modern civilization
This chapter is based on pp. 1003-1015, 1019-1023, 1025-1029, 1031-1032 (Evolution and Society) of Other Evidence (Volume Three of our three-volume Evolution Disproved Series). Not included in this chapter are at least 40 statements by scientists. You will find them, plus much more, in the encyclopedia on this website.
Darwinism has had a devastating impact on society. Its ramifications reach into the deepest aspects of social life and culture. In this chapter, we will provide you with a brief overview of some of the effects of evolutionary thinking on our modern world.
The data in this chapter is rather heavily abridged from the original three-volume set. But you will find it all in the chapter on Evolution and Society on our website.
A significant reason for this tremendous impact is the fact that evolution is nihilistic in regard to morals. First, the clear implication is that people are just animals, so there is no right or wrong. Second, it teaches that all evolutionary progress has been made by some at the expense of others. Highest success comes to those who will step on; grind down; and, if necessary, destroy others. This brings about "fitness" and "survival qualities."
Another devastating quality of evolutionary theory is the fact that it is but a variant form of atheism. Its advocates militantly attack religion in general and Christianity in particular. Christianity is declared to be superstition and the Bible a book of myths. Evolutionary teaching and Christianity are total opposites. They are entirely incompatible. No one can believe both teachings or try to combine parts of the two. For anyone to attempt to do so is but to fool oneself.
Among professed Christians there are church leaders, religion teachers, science teachers, and scientists who attempt to combine part of evolutionary theory with Biblical beliefs. But the two positions just do not mix. For example, some will claim to believe the Bible, yet will maintain that there were long ages of developing life-forms into human beings before the Six Day Creation of Genesis 1. If such be true, then the Fall of Man, as given in Genesis 3, is incorrect. And if man did not fall into sin, then the promise of Genesis 3:15 is not needed, Christ is not needed, Calvary is not needed, no atonement for sin is needed, salvation from sin is not needed.
EVOLUTION AND WESTERN CULTURE—Evolutionary theory has had a most terrible, desolating effect on Western Civilization in the 20th centuryEvolutionary theory has had a most terrible, desolating effect on Western Civilization in the 20th century. Facts outlined in this chapter will seem hard to believe, so we will back them as fully as possible with quotations.
CHARLES DARWIN—Contrary to what evolutionists today claim, *Charles Darwin, himself, said mankind was descended from an ape. The sketch below is an accurate rendition of a photograph of him in later life.
CLICK TO
ENLARGE
"The twentieth century would be incomprehensible without the Darwinian revolution. The social and political currents which have swept the world in the past eighty years would have been impossible without its intellectual sanction. It is ironic to recall that it was the increasingly secular outlook in the nineteenth century which initially eased the way for the acceptance of evolution, while today it is perhaps the Darwinian view of nature more than any other that is responsible fo
r the agnostic and skeptical outlook of the twentieth century. What was once a deduction from materialism has today become its foundation."—*Michael Denton, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1988), p. 358.
Gradually, an attempt was made to extend evolutionary theory into every field of study. It is remarkable that a theory founded on confused speculations and non-existent scientific facts would be made the basis of a single, unified structure of knowledge.
"The concept of evolution was soon extended into other than biological fields. Inorganic subjects such as the life-histories of stars and the formation of chemical elements on the one hand, and on the other hand subjects like linguistics, social anthropology, and comparative law and religion, began to be studied from an evolutionary angle, until today we are enabled to see evolution as a universal, all-pervading process."—*Julian Huxley, "Evolution and Genetics," in V.R. Newman (ed.), What is Science? (1955), p. 272.
We have now come to a time when the man who resists the barrage of atheistic ideas thrown at him, under the name of "evolution," is treated as an outcast—or worse.
"[He who does not honor Darwin] inevitably attracts the speculative psychiatric eye to himself."—*Garret Hardin, Nature and Man’s Fate (1961).
*Littel briefly summarizes the sinister teaching underlying this theory.
"He [Darwin] proposed that natural selection governs the evolution of forms of life; with the fittest surviving. The latter proposition became the basis of several schools of politics and social philosophy, including both laissez-faire economics and Nazism. The former displaced the view of man as a fallen angel, and replaced it with man conceived as risen animal."—*F.H. Littel, The Macmillan Atlas History of Christianity (1976), p. 104.
EARLY WARNINGS—Over a century and a half ago, *Goethe made a profound statement.
"Science has been seriously retarded by the study of what is not worth knowing."—*Johann von Goethe (1749-1832), quoted in Asimov’s Book of Science and Nature Quotations, p. 257.
It would have been well if *Charles Darwin and his disciples had heeded such counsel. All humanity in the 20th century has been seriously injured by the theoretical devisings of *Darwin and his followers.
Shortly after the 1859 publication of *Darwin’s book, Origin of the Species, men of integrity sought to warn the world—and Darwin himself—against the terrible consequences that would result if such a theory were to become widely accepted. *Romanes, although a personal friend of *Darwin’s, recognized what the theory was leading to.
"Never in the history of man has so terrific a calamity befallen the race as that which all who look may now behold advancing as a deluge, black with destruction, resistless in might, uprooting our most cherished hopes, engulfing our most precious creed, and burying our highest life in mindless desolation . . The flood-gates of infidelity are open, and Atheism overwhelming is upon us."—*George Romanes, A Candid Examination of Theism (1878).
Soon after *Darwin’s book came off the press, Sedgwick, a contemporary, leading British biologist, wrote him. Noting the ridiculous non-scientific "facts" and hypotheses in the book, Sedgwick warned *Darwin that his book was about to open Pandora’s box:
"Adam Sedgwick, author of the famous Student’s Text Book of Zoology, after reading the book, The Origin of Species, expressed his opinion to Darwin in the following words: ‘I have read your book with more pain than pleasure. Parts of it I admired greatly, parts I laughed till my sides were almost sore: other parts I read with absolute sorrow because I think them utterly false and grievously mischievous.’
"As feared by this great man of science, the evolutionary idea of civilization has grown into a practical method of thought and code of conduct, affecting the reasoning and actions of every part of the human race. Human conduct is modelled on the philosophy that finds current acceptance."—H. Enoch, Evolution or Creation (1986), pp. 144-145.
"Our own generation has lived to see the inevitable result of evolutionary teaching—the result that Sedgwick foresaw as soon as he had read the Origin. Mussolini’s attitude was completely dominated by evolution. In public utterances, he repeatedly used the Darwinian catchwords while he mocked at perpetual peace, lest it hinder the evolutionary process. In Germany, it was the same. Adolf Hitler’s mind was captivated by evolutionary teaching—probably since the time he was a boy. Evolutionary ideas quite undisguised—lie at the basis of all that is the worst in Mein Kamp and his public speeches."— R.E.D. Clark, Darwin: Before and After (1948), p. 115.
INFLUENTIAL STATUS OF SCIENCE—The impact of science on society, morals, and culture in the 20th century has been immenseThe impact of science on society, morals, and culture in the 20th century has been immense. The words of scientists are treated as though infallible; when, in reality, human error exists in all scientific endeavor.
"A concept of nature must be compatible with the way people behave within a given cultural milieu if it is to be acceptable. When we penetrate to the core of our scientific beliefs . . we find they are as much influenced by the culture as our other belief systems."—*Jeremy Rifkin, Algeny (1984), p. 32.
In order to gain the vaunted power that scientific progress offers, men are willing to submit their way of life and even their belief systems to scientific theorists..
"Science promises man power . . But, as so often happens when people are seduced by promises of power, the price is servitude and impotence."—*D. Joseph Weizenbaum, Statement made in 1976, quoted in Asimov’s Book of Science and Nature Quotations, p. 283.
*Jastrow, referring to many scientists of our time, says they are too much aware of their power over men’s lives.
"Their materialism is so deeply imbued . . and scientists like to think they have a unique handle on reality. And they’re very arrogant about that."—*Robert Jastrow, quoted in B. Durbin, "A Scientist Caught between Two Faiths: An Interview with Robert Jastrow," in Christianity Today 26(13):15 (1982).
This lock-grip over human thinking has the power to transform science into something of an organized religious system, complete with a set of beliefs, priests, and ritual. Because of its terrific impact on morality, Darwinism automatically gains the central seat of worship in what becomes a great atheistic temple., complete with a set of beliefs, priests, and ritual. Because of its terrific impact on morality, Darwinism automatically gains the central seat of worship in what becomes a great atheistic temple.
"It is a religion of science that Darwinism chiefly held, and holds over men’s minds [today]."—*Encounter, November 1959, p. 48.
ETHICS AND MORALITY—It becomes extremely dangerous when materialistic men are set in positions of power to dictate that which the masses will believe in regard to human moralityIt becomes extremely dangerous when materialistic men are set in positions of power to dictate that which the masses will believe in regard to human morality. Hardened evolutionists are determined not to merely let men choose for themselves the type of morality they will follow. Evolution is foisted upon people, from kindergarten to the grave. Evolutionary zealots are dedicated to wiping out every religion but their own. Atheism and only atheism is their creed and their objective. Darwinism inherently teaches the most vicious set of moral principles. Declaring that man is but an animal, instruction is then given that the most successful animals are those that are the first to attack and destroy. The collected views men are taught determine their system of morals and their way of life.
"Every ethic is founded in a philosophy of man, and every philosophy of man points toward ethical behavior."—*J. Drane, "A Philosophy of Man and Higher Education," in Main Currents in Modern Thought, (1927), p. 98.
Darwinism declares that man is no better than an animal.
"In the world of Darwin, man has no special status other than his definition as a distinct species of animal. He is in the fullest sense a part of nature and not apart from it. He is akin, not figuratively but literally, to every living thing, be it an ameba, a tapeworm, a flea, a seaweed, an oak tree, or a monkey—even though the degrees of relationship are different and we may feel less empathy for forty-second cousins like the tapeworms than for, comparatively speaking, brothers like the monkeys."—*George Gaylord Simpson, "The World into Which Darwin Led Us," Science 131 (1960), p. 970.
Darwinism unleashed a moral holocaust upon the world, one which deepens with each passing decade. Here is a statement to remember:, one which deepens with each passing decade. Here is a statement to remember:
"It was because Darwinian theory broke man’s link with God and set him adrift in a cosmos without purpose or end that its impact was so fundamental. No other intellectual revolution in modern times . . so profoundly affected the way men viewed themselves and their place in the universe."—*Michael Denton, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1985), p. 67 [Australian molecular biologist].
We are taught to accept ourselves as merely vicious animals. Tell the people often enough that they are only animals, and they will begin believing it. *Darlington says, "Violence is . . a product of evolution."
"The first point is that selfishness and violence are inherent in us, inherited from our remotest animal ancestors . . Violence is, then, natural to man, a product of evolution."—*P.J. Darlington, Evolution for Naturalists (1980), pp. 243-244.
Evolutionary theory presents humanity with no uplifting standards, codes, norms, or values..
" ‘Evolution favors reproductive strategies that produce the most offspring, without regard for human values of justice or fair play.’
" ‘Nature provides no moral guide to human behavior.’
"We don’t even know what is ‘natural’ for our own species. Every few years a new theory emerges on what is our ‘natural’ diet, our ‘natural’ life span, our ‘natural’ sexual practices, our ‘natural’ social system or our ‘natural’ relationship with nature. Nature is endlessly fascinating, but offers no ‘natural’ way of life for humans to copy. Even in evolution, there is no ‘natural’ tendency toward ‘progress,’ ‘perfection,’ or ‘ascent.’ Most of the time, we don’t even know what is going on in nature."—*R. Milner, Encyclopedia of Evolution (1990), pp. 79, 124, 317.
It is Darwinism that is brutalizing mankind today.
"Darwinism helped to further brutalize mankind through providing scientific sanction for bloodthirsty and selfish desires."—*Robert T. Clark and James D. Bales, Why Scientists Accept Evolution (1966), p. 64.
Evolutionary theory has entered every sphere of behavior, business, science, and government..
"[Darwinism] has quite certainly molded the thought of our political and biological elite . . this manner of thought . . was adopted and applied to politics and to morals."—*A.E. Wilder-Smith, The Natural Sciences Know Nothing of Evolution (1981), p. 148.
A leading scientist of our century well-described our great danger. Here is a quotation worth remembering:
"I am haunted by a conviction that the nihilistic philosophy which so-called educated opinion chose to adopt following the publication of the Origin of Species committed mankind to a course of automatic self-destruction. A doomsday was then set ticking."—*Sir Fred Hoyle, The Intelligent Universe (1983), p. 9. [Hoyle is a renowned British Astrophysicist.]
The man who helped produce the Piltdown Man hoax later declared that even the most terrible wars of mankind only constitute normal living and cannot be avoided. (We shall learn later, in this chapter, that the worst wars of our century came about as a result of accepting Darwinian theory, not because of the savagery of inherent evolutionary "advancement.")
"The law of evolution, as formulated by Darwin, provides an explanation of war between nations, the only reasonable explanation known to us."—*Arthur Keith, Evolution and Ethics (1947), p. 149.
According to evolutionary theory, whatever you are is good and whatever you do is right; there are no norms, no absolutes, no standards you must live up to.; there are no norms, no absolutes, no standards you must live up to.
"Thus human ‘goodness’ and behavior, considered ethical by human societies, probably are evolutionary acquisitions of man and require fostering,—[because] an ethical system that bases its premises on absolute pronouncements will not usually be acceptable to those who view human nature by evolutionary criteria."—*Arno G. Motulaky, "Brave New World?" Science, Vol. 185, August 23, 1974, p. 654.
In the 19th century, they called themselves the American Association of Atheists. In the 20th, they now call themselves "humanists." Here is their battle cry:
"No deity will save us; we must save ourselves."—*1974 Manifesto of American Humanist Association.
The objective of the humanists goes beyond that of merely letting you live your own life; they are determined to reshape your morals, your body, and your descendants. And it is to be done according to their set of standards. They intend to do it by "science":
"Man’s unique characteristic among animals is his ability to direct and control his own evolution, and science is his most powerful tool for doing this."—*Hudson Hoagland, "Science and the New Humanism," Silence, Vol. 143, January 10, 1984, p. 111.
They intend to do it by "manipulating genes."
"We no longer need be subject to blind external forces but can manipulate the environment and eventually may be able to manipulate our genes."—*Arno G. Motulaky, "Brave New World?" Science, Vol. 185, August 23, 1974, p. 853.
They intend to do it by "naturalistic, scientific ethics."
"The foregoing conclusions represent, I believe, an outgrowth of the thesis of modern humanism, as well as of the study of evolution, that the primary job for man is to promote his own welfare and advancement. Both that of his members considered individually and that of the all inclusive group is due awareness of the world as it is, and [especially] on the basis of a naturalistic, scientific ethics."—*H.J. Muller, "Human Values in Relation to Evolution," Science, Vol. 127, March 21, 1958, p. 829.
Always the teaching is that the ultimate goals and highest success will be achieved when we realize that we are only animals, and need only act like animals. (*Andrew LaVey, founder of the First Church of Satan in San Francisco, said that this was the message he had been given by Satan: We are only animals, and we should do as we please.)
"While many details remain unknown, the grand design of biologic structure and function in plants and animals, including man, admits to no other explanation than that of evolution. Man therefore is another link in a chain which unites all life on this planet."—*A.G. Motulaky, "Brave New World?" Science, Vol. 185, August 23, 1974, p. 853.
*Hoagland says that thinking we are but animals will now help us improve ourselves socially.
"Man’s unique characteristic among animals is his ability to direct and control his own evolution, and science is his most powerful tool for doing this. We are a product of two kinds of evolution, biological and cultural. We are here as a result of the same processes of natural selection that have produced all the other plants and animals. A second kind of evolution is psychosocial or cultural evolution. This is unique to man. Its history is very recent; it started roughly a million years ago with our hominid tool-making ancestors. "—*Hudson Hoagland, "Science and the New Humanism," in Science, January 10, 1984, p. 111.
Education is seen as the key to the changeover. In order to make atheists of everyone, the schools must be controlled by evolutionists..
"It is essential for evolution to become the central core of any educational system, because it is evolution, in the broad sense, that links inorganic nature with life, and the stars with the earth, and matter with mind, and animals with man. Human history is a continuation of biological evolution in a different form."—*Sir Julian Huxley, quoted in *Sol Tax and *Charles Callender (eds.), Evolution After Darwin, 3 vols. (1980).
Happily for the Darwinists, they feel they are winning out in the churches and in church beliefs also. (More on this on our website, in the chapter, Evolution and Society.)
"Beyond its impact on traditional science, Darwinism was devastating to conventional theology."—*D. Nelkin, Science Textbook Controversies and the Politics of Equal Time (1977), p. 11.
But the fact remains that evolutionary theory is one of the most insidious, most dangerous theories ever unleashed upon mankind.
"Anything that has evolved by natural selection should be selfish."—*Life: How Did it Get Here? (1985), p. 177.
In a chapter entitled, "Evolution," in one of his books, *Asimov quotes the following statement, describing so well the inner thinking of Darwinism.
"Mankind struggles upwards, in which millions are trampled to death, that thousands may mount on their bodies."—*Clara Lucas Balfour (1808-1878), quoted in Asimov’s Book of Science and Nature Quotations, p. 88 [chapter on "Evolution"].
The realization of that terrible truth even penetrated the gloom of *Darwin’s mind at times.
"With me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man’s mind, which has been developed from the minds of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy. Would anyone trust in the convictions of a monkey’s mind, if there are any convictions in such a mind?"—*Charles Darwin, quoted in Francis Darwin (ed.), Life and Letters of Charles Darwin (1903; 1971 reprint), Vol. 1, p. 285.
According to evolution, neither mankind nor any other creature or substance in the universe was planned; it was all only an "accident" of random motions of atoms. of random motions of atoms.
"An atheist is a man who believes himself an accident."—*Francis Thompson, quoted in Peter’s Book of Quotations (1977), p. 449.
But the "accident theory" will destroy us if we adhere to it. And prior to that mutual destruction will come ever-increasing hopelessness and aimless confusion.
"We do not solve social problems but rather create social monsters, when man is treated first as an accident and then the particular man is denied his participation in his own being on the grounds that he is only an unfortunate accident of nature.
"It takes no doctor of logic to conclude that if man is such a random being, it can be only a random force that man himself users of his fellows, even if the user is dignified by degree as a sociologist or psychiatrist. If the determinist’s premise is correct, then social or psychic manipulations may establish only a random order. Thus determinism entangles the mind hopelessly in contradiction."—*Marion Montgomery, "Imagination and the Violent Assault upon Virtue," Modern Age: A Quarterly Review, 27, pp. 124-125.
A science teacher agrees.
"Few people who accept the Darwinian theory of evolution realize its far-reaching import especially in Social Science . . Of the many evils that have resulted from the teaching of evolution, we mention only a few."—*Professor Holmes, Science (August 14, 1939), p. 117.
Darwinism is the law of the jungle..
"Darwinism consistently applied would measure goodness in terms of survival value. This is the law of the jungle where ‘might is right’ and the fittest survive. Whether cunning or cruelty, cowardice or deceit, whatever will enable the individual to survive is good and right for that individual or that society."—*H. Enoch, Evolution or Creation (1968), p. 145.
Darwin’s biological evolution theory quickly became the basis for a social theory which brought on intensified war and immorality.
"In turn, biological evolutionism exerted ever-widening influences on the natural and social sciences, and its repercussions were neither sound or commendable. Suffice it to mention the so-called Social Darwinism, which often sought to justify the inhumanity of man to man, and the biological racism which furnished a fraudulent scientific sanction for the atrocities committed in Hitler’s Germany and elsewhere."—*Theodosius Dobzhansky, "Evolution at Work," Science, Vol. 127, May 9, 1958, p. 1091.
The teaching that man is but a beast, and not accountable for any of his actions—is the heart of Darwin’s teaching; and it unleashes the worst in man.
"No wonder that Brig. General F.D. Frost stated in the Fundamentalist, January, 1950, p. 21: ‘There is no doubt about it that the doctrine of evolution is the greatest curse in our educational system.’ Whether we read Ward’s Dynamic Sociology, or Russell’s Code of Morals, or Briffalt’s Immoralism or some other book written by the Behaviorist School,—they all seem to endeavour to justify and base their conclusions on the bestial nature of man. This philosophy seeks to determine the morale, the principles and practice of virtuous conduct, and to reduce man to the level of animal nature. The surging unrest, the broken homes, the frustrated lives, the increasing divorce cases, the multiplied number of criminals are but the inevitable outcome of the acceptance and practice of this evolutionary doctrine."—H. Enock, Evolution or Creation (1966), pp. 1146-1147.
CLICK TO
ENLARGE
*Darwin had started something that was to spread throughout the world and bring anguish to millions.
"Darwin’s books were quickly translated into all the earth’s main languages, and the political leaders of the various motions began using the Darwinian catchwords to justify their expansionist ambitions. The influence in Germany was especially profound. There, the atheistic biologist Ernst Haeckel embarked on a popularization campaign fully comparable to that of Huxley in England. The philosopher Nietzsche, with his doctrine of the ‘superman,’ was also greatly influenced by Darwin, though he thought Darwin did not go far enough in promoting the militaristic and racist implications of his theories. Darwinistic imperialism had great impact on the policies of Bismarck and even more so on those of Adolph Hitler."—H.M. Morris, History of Modern Christianity (1984), p. 47.
2 - LAYING THE FOUNDATIONSTWENTIETH-CENTURY CORNERSTONE—The impact of modern evolutionary thought on our modern culture has been terrific. Consider these examples: *Marx and *Keynes in economics and social studies; *Dewey in modern education; *Fosdick and ‘higher’ Biblical critics in modern theology; *Nietzsche, *James, and *Positivists in modern philosophy; *Beard in American history; *Frankfurter in modern law; *London and *Shaw in novels; *Camus, *Sartre, and *Heidegger in existential thought; *White in sociology; *Simpson and *Dobzhansky in paleontology and modern genetics; *Huxley and *P. Teilhard de Chardin in humanism.
In 1960, a Hollywood film was released lauding the "victory" of evolution in a movie about the Scopes Trial (see chapter 30 on our website for a detailed analysis of that trial). The motion picture was entitled Inherit the Wind. That would be an excellent title for a documentary,—not on the Scopes Trial, but on what Social Darwinism has done to our modern world.
KARL MARX—*Charles Darwin, *Karl Marx, *Ernst Haeckel, *Friedrich Nietzche, and *Sigmund Freud laid the foundations for 20th-century culture. Millions of lives have been lost—morally and physically—because of the insidious views of *Charles Darwin.
"Darwin, Marx, and Freud helped shape the modern mind into conformity with the world view of Mechanistic Materialism."—*E.A. Opitz, "The Use of Reason in Religion," in Imprimis 7(2):4 (1978).
That which *Darwin did to biology, *Marx, with the help of others, did to society..
"Just as Darwin discovered the law of evolution in organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of evolution in human history."—*Otto Ruhle, Karl Marx (1948), p. 366.
Marxism is closely linked to Darwinism..
"The idea that evolution is a history of competitive strife fits well with his [Marx’s] ideology of ‘class struggle.’ "—*R. Milner, Encyclopedia of Evolution (1990), p. 412.
" ‘This is the book,’ he [Marx] wrote to his disciple Engles in 1866, ‘which contains the basis in natural history for our view,’ and he would gladly have dedicated his own major work, Das Kapital, to the author of The Origin of Species if Darwin had let him.
"At Marx’s funeral Engels declaimed that, as Darwin had discovered the law of organic evolution in natural history, so Marx had discovered the law of evolution in human history. With its denigration of non-material aspects of human life, and its mission to uproot tradition and destroy creationist concepts in men’s minds, communism remains one of Darwin’s strongest adherents . . After 1949 when the communists took control of China, the first new text introduced to all schools was neither Marxist nor Leninist, but Darwinian."—*Michael Pitman, Adam and Evolur Von (1984), p. 24.
According to the Darwin/Marx theory, not only animals must fight savagely in order to survive, but human society must do the same.
"Like Darwin, Marx thought he had discovered the law of development. He saw history in stages, as the Darwinists saw geological strata and successive forms of life . . But there are even finer points of comparison. In keeping with the feelings of the age, both Marx and Darwin made struggle the means of development. Again, the measure of value in Darwin is survival with reproduction—an absolute fact occurring in time and which wholly disregards the moral or ethical quality of the product. In Marx the measure of value is expended labor—an absolute fact occurring in time, which also disregards the utility of the product [and also the workman]."—*J. Barzun, Darwin, Marx, Wagner (1958), p. 8.
*Engels, *Marx’s disciple, was the first to discover Darwin’s book.
"Fredrich Engels, one of the founders of Communism, wrote to Karl Marx, December 12, 1859, ‘Darwin, whom I am just now reading, is splendid.’ "—*C. Zirkle, Evolution, Marxian Biology, and the Social Scene (1959), p. 85.
*Marx then read it and wrote back:
"Karl Marx wrote to Friedrich Engels, December 19, 1860, ‘Although it is developed in the crude English style, this is the book which contains the basis in natural history for our views.’ "—*C. Zirkle, Evolution, Marxian Biology, and the Social Scene (1959), p. 88.
Within a month, *Marx knew he had found what he was searching for: a "scientific" basis for his theory of "social progress."
"Again, Marx wrote to Engels, January 16, 1861, ‘Darwin’s book is very important and serves me as a basis in natural selection for the class struggle in history. . not only is a death blow dealt here for the first time to "teleology" in the natural sciences but their rational meaning is emphatically explained.’ "—*C. Zirkle, Evolution, Marxian Biology, and the Social Scene (1959), p. 88.
Reactionary Socialists base their insurrectionist activities on *Marx and *Darwin.
"Defending Darwin is nothing new for socialists. The socialist movement recognized Darwinism as an important element in its general world outlook right from the start. When Darwin published his Origin of the Species in 1859, Karl Marx wrote a letter to Fredrick Engels in which he said: ‘. . this is the book which contains the basis in natural history for our view . .’ By defending Darwinism, working people strengthen their defenses against the attacks of these reactionary outfits, and prepared the way for the transformation of the social order."—*Cliff Conner, "Evolution vs. Creationism: In Defense of Scientific Thinking," International Socialist Review, November 1980.
Another offshoot of Darwinism was intensified militancy and warfare. Darwin and his followers laid the basis for the bloodbath which followed. In addition, to *Lenin and *Marx, we should consider *Haeckel and *Nietzsche.
ERNST HAECKEL—*Ernst Haeckel, professor at the University in Jena, was the pioneer promoter of Darwinism on the European continent Ernst Haeckel, professor at the University in Jena, was the pioneer promoter of Darwinism on the European continent, just as Thomas Huxley was Darwin’s "bulldog" in England. In chapter 22, Vestiges and Recapitulation, and chapter 29, History of Evolutionary Theory, we detail * Haeckel’s fraudulent activities, to promote Darwinism by dishonest methods.Along with *Nietzsche, *Haeckel helped lay the foundations for the German militarism which produced World Wars I and II. Whereas *Lenin and *Marx were concerned with class struggle for supremacy, *Haekel and *Nietzsche were preoccupied with the "super race" conquest of inferior ones.
"Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) was an avid, self-appointed spokesman for Darwinism in Germany . . Haeckel professed a mystical belief in the forces of nature and a literal transfer of the laws of biology to the social realm. The movement he founded in Germany was proto-Nazi in character; romantic Volkism and the Monist League (established 1906), along with evolution and science, laid the ideological foundations of [German] National Socialism.
" . . English Darwinism interlinked two main themes, natural selection and the struggle for existence. Social Darwinism is an attempt to explain human society in terms of evolution, but Haeckel’s [proto-Nazi] interpretation was quite different from that of capitalist Herbert Spencer or of communist Marx. For him a major component was the ethic of inherent struggle between higher and lower cultures,—between races of men."—*Michael Pitman, Adam and Evolution (1984), p. 48.
Inspired by the writings of *Darwin, *Haeckel became the great forerunner of Nazi violence, which killed millions and littered Europe with its wreakage.
"Along with his social Darwinist followers, [Haeckel] set about to demonstrate the ‘aristocratic’ and nondemocratic aspect of the laws of nature . . Up to his death in 1919, Haeckel contributed to that special variety of German thought which served as the seed-bed for National Socialism. He became one of Germany’s main ideologists for racism, nationalism, and imperialism."—*Daniel Gasman, Scientific Origins of National Socialism: Social Darwinism in Ernst Haeckel and the German Monist League (1971), p. xvi.
You have just completed
Chapter 19 Evolution,
Morality, and Violence Part 1
NEXT—
Go to
Chapter 19 Evolution, Morality, and Violence Part 2
EVOLUTION FACTS, INC.
- BOX 300 - ALTAMONT, TN. 37301
