It is always good at the end of a semester to look back and
see how far we have come. We began with the goal of studying the cultural,
social, historical, and philosophical impact of the theory of evolution in
America and specifically in Tennessee, possibly including a field-trip to
Dayton, TN (site of the infamous 1925 Scopes "Monkey Trial" and of an
annual dramatic reenactment). We read, studied, and discussed two texts include
Edward Larson's, Summer for the Gods,
and Matthew Chapman's Trials of the
Monkey. Chapman was the great-great...grandson of Charles Darwin and he
made the trip to Dayton. As part of our course we considered why the idea of
evolution has encountered both enthusiasm and hostility in this country, and at
the prospects for peaceful coexistence between evolutionary science and
religious faith in the future.
We have been very fortunate to read or learn about the
perspective of other individuals whose views agree and disagree with those
espoused by Darwin and his supporters. We’ve learned about individuals who
attended the original trial, those who participated directly, Bryan, Darrow,
Malone, Stewart, Hays, Neal, McKenzie, Hicks, Bryan Jr., and Raulston,
Robinson, and Rappelyea and those who were not allowed to participate as witnesses,
Whitaker, Cole, Mather, Curtis, Mathews, Rosenwasser, Lipman, Judd, and Newman,
and those who attended as observers, Mencken and WGNS.
Dr. Metcalf was the one witness who testified while the
principal defendant who did not was John T. Scopes. Scopes sat on the sidelines
he was a devoted observer watching the participants and recording images in his
mind that he would later enter in his memoir of the event and provide us with a
ring side account of what transpired from his perspective.
It was the trial of the century for several reasons, for
one, it was the first one to be carried over the radio to the nation and that
insured that it would have a cultural, social, historical, and political impact
on the country. Its impact was experienced differently in different regions of
the country and its impact is still being felt today. There is still an ongoing
conflict between science and religion and between science and politics from old
issues like evolution to new issues like the environment. Perhaps Tony Randall
was right when he said, “Sometimes we wonder if anyone ever learns anything.” Well, I
can state unequivocally, that I did learn something from this course and it has
stimulated my desire to learn more.
Thanks for your tireless contributions to the class, Don, even more impressive in light of the health challenge you've been weathering.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you want to learn more about Scopes, science-religion, etc. My own enthusiasm for the subject, perhaps inexplicably, seems inexhaustible.
Good luck!