An Exercise in Understatement*

On why we should study the minute changes of papillary ridges to learn about human development, according to Francis Galton:

We know nothing by observation about the persistence of any internal character, because it is not feasible to dissect a man in his boyhood, and a second or third time in his later life.  ("Discontinuity in Evolution" 366)

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*I almost titled this post "Something Something Something NAZIS!"  Then I remembered how tedious debates about Darwinism/Eugenics/National Socialism tend to be and thought better of it.

Comments

[Tom]

Speaking of tedious debates about Darwin/Eugenics/National Socialism, have you heard about this new documentary "Expelled," starring Ben Stein? It's about how biologists are victimized by "Big Science" if they try to talk about Intelligent Design and how Darwin caused the Holocaust. Maybe it's just cause I'm in central Pennsylvania (close to Dover) but I keep hearing commercials on the radio about it, and it sounds profoundly annoying.

[Sisyphus]

It's so true: dissection is forever, so choose carefully the best point in a man's life to do it.

On the other hand, Nazis can be dissected early and often.

On a more something-or-other note, did you see the art exhibition with the preserved human cadavers when it was in LA? My family had the bright idea to make it our annual Christmas Day family outing. I refused to go, but I'm squeamish like that.

[JPool]

Alternate post title:
"Vivisection, Hooray!"

[mom]

The preserved human cadavers came to Houston with great expectation on the part of the media. What happened when families with young(and sometimes older) children was not expected. Fear and shock and nightmares followed a day at the museum. So,lets try not to repeat the mistakes on past and pray the Nazis will find their reward in the afterlife. I am not sure Darwin would have liked this exhibition, but he would spend time studying the make-up of modern man.

[SEK]

Tom,

That was the very debate I had in mind. Well, that and the Liberal Fascism one. For my part, I'll let PZ Myers and Richard Dawkins handle Ben Stein (as they have, to often hilarious effect).

Sisyphus,

On a more something-or-other note, did you see the art exhibition with the preserved human cadavers when it was in LA?

As my mother wrote, I did not. I might have, but transportation's an issue. (I say that, but I didn't even go see the Darwin exhibit when I was in whatever city I was in a few years back. Philadelphia? Chicago? Don't remember. I'm terrible about that sort of thing: I make plans, but then the details add up, the affair becomes tedious, and I'd rather stay at home with the cats and read a book.)

[Jackson]

There was an interesting article in 1969 about fingerprints and how one could tell something about one's genetics. I was surprised to learn that.

Googling it looks like the author was an L.S.Penrose.
Here is a link to this topic
http://www.cheirology.net/history/dermatoglyphics.htm