Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-31
EVOLUTIONARY CHANGES
DEMAND NEW METHODS
Super-InteIIigence Is Present Need or
Natures Works May Be Wrecked
by Natural Enemies.

| The second factor is the rate of evo-
| luton. This differs materially in diff
! ferent forms of life. Many insects, the
ant among them, have not changed ma
! terially since the early tertiary period.
! Man has changed rapidly since the first
records. The rate of evolution appears
| to depend upon changing environment.
! This acts to stimulate change. Is it
/ not possible that some other form of
! life NAV take squirt forward while
man. like the ant marks time? In that
| event man may be doomed.
| On the other hand, man, like the
ant. may approach form which may
! be ideal for his purposes. This is es-
! pecially likely if we continue our prog
| ress toward specialization. Mans de-
| velopment of tools may prevent his
| ever breeding a race of individuals
! equipped as soldiers, as workers, ETC., as
/ does the ant: yet 1t is quite possible
/ that he may develop a race with large
brains and another with large muscles
unless the development of machines
make the latter unnecessary In that
case the second group may be at least
mentally suited to the routine Of ma
chine tending
Race May RetrOgress.
AS third possibility man may re-
trogress. While it would be most un-
ward, eventually becoming whatever he
was to begin with, there is, neverthe-
less. the possibility that he may become
less and less fitted for his purposes by
changes in other directions This how
ever, is contrary to the laws of evolu-
ton.
We hear demagogues raving to the
effect that we are becoming a race of
weaklings, but it is not at all likely
! hat 1lia fc trrrn 9c hi
will show that man has become more
and more able to cope with the diff
culties Of living. There seems little rea-
son to believe that this steady prog
ress will cease Man will become better
and better able to take care of himself.
Mutations Feared.
There remain two other chance fac
tors which may be of major importance
in. shaping the destiny of the race
These are mutations and evolutionary
cycles The former are not at all likely
to change the course which destiny has
set for us. A mutation is a sudden
change in the species. 1t is change
which might have required several CEN
tUries to complete by the usual slow
method Such changes can be brought
about artiflcially by use of poisons, by
ire diation with X-rays and other rays,
anu 81 Oh. 14ty OCCuI O1ly 1dItly rum
natural causes. In general the changes
wrought in this way are undesirable
Individuals so produced mort often
than not become monstrosities.
As even evolutionary changes require
some effort for adaptation, it is appar-
ent that the individual produced
through a mutation has a particularly
difficult time to adapt himself to the
new conditions which his popularity
forces upon him Unless the change
has been particularly favorable one
such an individual is not likely to sur
vive and to produce projeny.
Evolution Speeded Up.
When we realize that after all mu-
tations are merely examples of speeded
up evolution it is apparent that they
fall into another classification already
discussed; that of the rate of evolu-
tionary change. That there should
suddenly be produced a mutation Of
some existing form which would be-
come powerful enough to dispute the
supremacy of man appears most I'M
likely. Yet the possibility exists and
cannot be ignored.
The remaining possibility, that of
evolutionary cycles, must be considered,
and there is some reason to believe that
such cycles may exist, then we have
the same problem as would be produced
by a backward evolution, but not quite
so serious. Man may again go back
10 the cave stage and protect himself
against his enemies with a gnawed-off
bone. The chief danger in such a
case would be determination during
this weakened period.
May Control Own Destiny.
There remains but one last possibil-
xIfIai hy4Il-
liant future for the race than could
ever otherwise be attained. He may
become so advanced that the way will
be open to him TO control his own
destiny. Already geneticists, in a small
way, have been able to control develop
ment of insects and of animals. Each
year adds discoveries in this direction.
With this growing mass of knowledge
it becomes clear that eventually it viii
be possible to control the development
Of man himself
This is at once an asset and a La
bility. There IS the danger that power
full tools may be put in the hands of
race incapable of using ther1. One
trembles to think of what might hap
pen if we could control our own evolu-
tionary changes. What kind of an ideal
man would we attempt to produce, and
would he be the right kind? Would
he be able to cope with situations as
they arise?
Fortunately. it will be few genera
tons before these possibilities may be
expected to be within our reach. BY
that time we may have a more en-
liehtened viewpoint than is to be found
in most quarters today
Made to Order Man Possible.
AS conditions change we may be able
to meet the emergencies-to produce
men liable to withstand the rigors of
another Ice Age. Or perhaps. through
some Astronomical disturbance, it may
be necessary to build up a resistance
to super-tropical heat,
Men made to orderl That is the
ultimate. But let us first develop the
super intelligence which will be re-
| CURED if we are not to wreck all that
| nature has so carefully constructed.