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Thomson, J. Arthur

English

University of Central Florida (UCF): STARS (Showcase of Text, Archives, Research & Scholarship)

University of Central Florida STARS PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements 1-1-1915 Biology and war J. Arthur Thomson Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/prism University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Book is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact STARS@ucf.edu. Recommended Citation Thomson, J. Arthur, "Biology and war" (1915). PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements. 222. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/prism/222 S e d  &ria PAPERS FOR WAR TIME BIOLOGY AND WAR BY ,r, ARTHUR THOMSON, LL.D. HUMPHREY MILFORD OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRBS LONDON EDINBUEQH QLASWW HEW YORK TORONTO XELBOURNE BOMBAY 1918 k&aapetobefoundintheideadlof of energy, the mmimmtioa d life, and t ~ f e e t a s A s i f t h e l i a e o f ~ ~ f o r  . d w h a f w e h & t o b e ~ ~ m a a d  inoar--he*ffwof waa Bmu#3T 'W m Tmm ~ a b c m p r a o W y ~ t h a t ~  w mtha mu&&, dsb, - WM inevitable wme prepmd to lwdic8 honour aamd ora ra m d  liberty. But tbis have tho& d whob m B10M)GY AND WAR guns is aa a h m e  of w&qp without pallel e q t  in f-0 and plague. By the hit  or physiwl teat w a ~  ie son- When WB turn ta hhe mid or eUm1 teat, we &d that t+heimmsa~eia~o&fe. Z t h a e t o b e r e m ~ ( l ) t h s t  them may be nobiliq in the detmmhwtiirrm to go to war if t b  t no alkmstiw mume c o d a h i t  with honour, jl.rtics, a a d h d o m ;  (9)tbatthewaghgof f ie  warmy amd op&ties fQr murage, endmmcs, mgldmity# andother-; and(3)thatawsrwhiohmnbeded W u g h  with a good o d m m  may leave a nafion spiriWy d o h e d .  On the other hand the aotual fisct of war is a dchhbleanaobronism, fullof M y  per51 to &he 0- of eombatmts and non-oombstants dike. Jt seem to wme upon the netions ~ U B B  the pat  ia foo sfaong for them, aa & surge d xevmion whbh them off their fest. It is for ua on whom war ww f d  to hope and pray that the proud watm will not go o m  our Bods. Bat our epcial problem in thie pper ia to apply the mond--the bfologid-hst. Iavlag, without f e -  ing, the miat heritage* we have to ask how mar &h bhe nature 5nheriknae of a race, and whether there ie in arganio n&um rrag object-laon which m y  make c h m r  to tm the aieplihnoe of buman wmfm. Emam or WAB OM mm RAOB Vmiow positions we held in regard t o  the of war on the heritable q d t i e a  of a race. There ia the view of the d m m e  mikhdabs tbat war is indbpmmble. The nations have to be bled periodidy, elm they wiIl b m e  soft and adipme. A d n g  to &nhdi, ' wm iA a bio- logid nemmity of the impmtmce, a replative d+ mmt in the life of d d . '  It ~ o t  be diqenad with, since 'without if asl llnbealtby development wtU follow, whioh ~]~cludm q admo~ment of the race and there- 4 BIOLOGY ANll WAB fore dm1 uvilimtion '. Them ia the view that in asdent tima was (mmBtimerg if not alwap) an e h h t b g  that made for pgmm, sbmgthming a tribe by the ocmtinual &dig out of thoe lw At for timear when iighting waa the order of the day; and ahngthening the rma by the d o n a l '  wiping out ' of a weaker clan by u a g e r  ; but that thh d u l  d k r i m b t e  eIimina- tion has entidy d with the change d conditions in modem warfare. !ibm L the podtion that war is radi- d y  d-that irr to my, that it pdstmtly sifte in the wrong dimtion, imp-g the race by the 1- of a &proportionate n m n k  of the mom chivalrous, O O ~ U B ,  and patriotio. me best htement of this paition irr ta be f o d  in  or &am J h ' a  im- Wv8 H t m m  E M .  We i5hould &o r e d l  Dmwh's ~ b m h t h e ~ h o h a p ~ o f F h ~ o f M r s ~ a :  'The bFav& men, who w m  dways wi&g to coma to the front in wtw, and who £reel9 ria8;wl their livm for othm, wodd o n a n a ~ p & h i * ~ r n u m b e n s t h a n o t h e r m e . n + '  Them is the semdy sciemtilh p o d i a  that the iduence of wax on a mtiun, biologically mgdgd, has not yet been hvwtigated by oompetmt shtietid metha ,  spd that no oertain conoId011 a n  be dram. Dmwa8xoa ox m m n  Pomm018 Against ths view t.bat wax ie indkpmmbh if the virile virtllea are to be kept din, it mu& be M y  maintained that in the hadm of pllce them Irs ample oppmtdty for valotir a d  broh, and that the annaSe of explo&ion, iavdgatiori, medical pc&im, and the b am rioh in illuafmtiom d the highest a m g e .  To admit, as we mu&, that them rn w o m  than d m r y ,  d t m w ,  dishonom, and m o d  tmaomdmm g e d y - 4  not equhdmt to saying that nobiiit y -ot b kept dim without w. TO admit that a nation may be fmced to a ~ w b m a m f u s a l t o g o f o ~ d m e a n d i s g r a o e ,  Pi BIOrnY BND WAR not fo admit that tb battle-field must for ever main wrfinelowrtofappeal. It seems mmombEe to draw a distinotion b h w n  ancient and modem wadare. For in a twttle in moient d a g s t h e m m a y w e l l h a v e h a ~ ~ o l o f , o n b o t h  aidee, of the olnmag, the cowardly, and fbe otmkxrwlrne ; a n d a m i d m a y b v e e o ~ ~ t d i n t h e  mid' dimhation of fhe weaker of fhe two h. Jast aa the &'I hVWb Of COUIltq alw8~8 b m d t  iil . t h  ' tionof thebbkref,wbiobhas~tb~less ~hit ,witmaybave~somet imesiathehistorgof  mankinrl. But in modem w d a m  -ion does nof exbmhte  mother, and the battle is not h y s  to the s6ong. Bven if it tun lw proved th& military e f l o h y  doea on the whole tend to mcare victory, it b by no memu t~ he taken for p n t d  that it ie ba& on q a ~  whioh make for mmdmm md  pro^^ in a ~acw. !The ewvemIy denti3cpwition that we have not aniE&nt data on whiah to baa a aeoum judgement, may ba met by hdhsting t h  (wnolmiona w W  have a high d ~ p  of probability, although stetistical proof is not f-.(1) When a nation with voluntarg militmy w m b  h involwd in war the more virile md chivahw obey the ~ o f t l m e i r o o m t r y i n l ~ n u m b e r s , m d t b e i r ~ ~  dhpporbionately thinned. Thorn who cannot Qht am laftandthoae whowiUnot@htamleft,and 'from tbeman whble f t fbmthe  omrent of human W r y ' , a e  &am Jordanputait. Ibietrnetbatalqpnamberofbwm~ W b Z e  men must main J home to Heep thin@ going, and th&t tlw elimination d w  not m t l y  a&& the women -two faots WW wuntm& the impoverishment of the race, bat it seem un-ble that r ~ ~ ] l u n t q  armg Ad in a oEisis iao1ud.w a d i q ~ ~ z u 1 t e l y  h g e  number of those whom the notion oan l e a  a h d  to  b. If the number d combatants be small cpompmd with that of nonsombatmt~, the aaaprrEtieg migbt no% be of mfibnt 6 most; dtheyamasr- h* WAB AND ~ U Q O I ~ E  YOB Exmmnos Tb b r ~ O X L  Mief that the evolution of Living ~ t i l m 0  has hm due to the atrag& for e*, and ili is a ~ ~ m m o n  d m t r h  that what has waked m wall smong plan& and anim& ~ h d d  b &owed to  opmh inmmbd. f n . m a k b g ~ * i t i s ~ , ~ l r r e f o ~ g  n&m. A a ~ n h a r d i ~ p , ' t h e ~ ~ O f w ~ ~ o n  ' the perg natum of tm. . . , The law of the stronger hoI& god  evevhem! !Fhis view involm nwner0UII whioh mu& be poinu out. (a) To begin with, biologisb am lbgreed tbt the -n- tid faut in evolution is the wumnc~ of &tiow or ncmkb. !kae furnieh the raw mateials of evolution d they are obviody m&ptls&bIs. If they am k Qoant tby must be e M e d  m lmwmi~d-h~wdity b h g  one of the oa~clhiom d e v o h r h .  If they ure to be mom than be- they must efand the cri- of 4ha mnditiane of Iih in w b h  they ham emerged, a a f d  &&bnornatdeknimtion,whiohocwarsinthe~ of tb 8tmggle far &nce, b e i i  mother of thB aondi- ttone of emlufion, Mmtpfal ~eEBctfon pmm d k b  mla- h i y  d t  new depmkms, but tha i not in i tdf  the WT~LW of pmgmse ; Tt mnsb have ~ P M O ~ S  or di&encea of endowment to work on. (6) H o m m  the *ruggIe for d t 8 n m  w not -8- d y  mtth for evolution. Jn mmy c a m  it thim withmt ~ I a n d t h a f h n o t m a k e f o r ~ o h g e i e .  M d  633 mtm@ase of the h g e  grrrden white batterfly ad- bated by Ref- Podton, 422 died boauw Icbneumw fk had Laid their ineide them. Thie was mriow thinning, fmr out of five, but SO hr 88 ~R'B h o w  t h m  tha* emtaped be'- victhimd m m  no Mtar 8 bmwn rat and W k  rat. Tb may be ' f o e s o f ~ ~ t n a ~ r i n e b e n o e , ~  ~ w m s a n d h e r b i ~ , ~ b i r d s o f ~ y r r n d ~  m a m m a  b h m n  ba+her rand haken on the Mh, b t w e e n d i & m n t k i u d e d ~ i n t h e t r o p i c a l f ~ .  The &rug@ may be batmn living meat- and tbe . + ~ ~ o n e u f f h e i r ~ ~ , ~ ~  mammdl a d  the wink, ?Mtwesn p h h  d droaghtl b&mn birde and the aform. Wbsn we a m p  th &mggle bstween fdom wid the &rug& befween foes ~ t h e W f w m d s t m g S a e , w h i & w e m a y ~ a i r  ~ l i v i n g ~ r a a ~ & n d ' f & ' , ~ m t h f b t i n t h e  third mods the dement of c o m p t i t h  has h p p d  out. l C l h u ~ p e r b p w e b e g i n t o m ~ g d f h e m b t l e ~ 0 f  tbs straggle for 8-ae. But we mnet go farthr. !lb Cammmmla Rumoap1 m WOHB UD lhmmwmM W h a t h a i s g & i n t o ~ t i o p ~ a ~ O f m t ~  anaagpdonofpartofthetmth. Fmwhitatheeia in wild natrzre maah atem 8iwq, gre%t Matile aad juvenile modality, mach d tooth and olaw, &, o u t e i d a d ~ t i s m , a g a e d ~ ~ ~ . ~ o f  theanlit b p e p d t h e a n g f r t I o i n , t ~ i m u u h m ~ .  Infaceof hnihtiom and d W u k h  wre oqanhm inbe& oom- ~ ~ , b u t m & ~ ~ t a l ~ ;  o n e m  ite m ~ p o n e ~  bu2&n&Eserm&easme e q d m m t  in m a w  aid ; one thiobn~ h mnour, bnt ~UKIWU trimphi by khsympathy. It is mdbd by few how mnuh of tb t i m e m d ~ o f l i v i n g ~ i a d m o t d t a ~  wkh sm nattotlse edwtaga of theindividual, but d y  to th& of the ma.  Hot at t b  need imply deliberafe ~ f m & g h t ~ i t i s r e t b r t h a f i n t h e ~ n f ~ t m e ' e  M m m i v d  and BU- have mw&d not only the e t n r n g a n d d f ~ m , ~ t * ~ l o ~ & P d m l f -  fagetf'd. XaIpWyamongtbfinertgpeepartdthe 11 p : r f y - ~ r * - - * l  - . - C  - 3- BiOL0Q.Y A m  WAB ~ ~ d ~ ~ h a b e e n ~ c a ~ y f o r ~ -  1 :  *. h d ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ h t h e m ~ r f ~ d w h m h g ,  rmrsBf n o t b m a o @ d w p a s t o f * ' a ~ ~ t  ~ f n d i v i d a a l o r g ; e n f i m a , b e i s g ; ~ - ~ ~ ~ l f  i a ~ t I o a t o t h e i n ~ o f t h e B p e a i e s a d m b  ~ t o b e i i l a s t ~ t a ~ ~ f w t h e w h o l e ~  B It p h f e d o ~ ~ h , ~ r , t B a f E i i n a e  e d n t h  ? ~ o n i p d i ~ i d a a l ~ ~ ~ ~ a f ~ ,  WB aome b#k t~ the M ~ R B B ~  indivih&. Thw 6bRayLdmterwriks: 'fbeatm@formi&rm,ta whhh I k w h  a@ impmWtwJ ia not e &qgb Mw#n speoires, bns one between b 1 y  ai3nilaT m m b m  d#emmespeciea.' A a e m ~ t e r o f f a & , ~ ~  i m ~ m f o ~ p d i & m n t ~ o f * ~ f o r  e*, mddthwghhe a-ph 'Btnqgbfor life ma& mwm Mwwm individn& and va&Wm of tho ~~; ~ 8 ~ ~ ~ ~ o f t h ~ ~  e u e ' , h e  didnot b r i n g f a w a d m q ~ ~ ~ , ~ i U w -  *. mot th& WB d d  doubt that t b  ia some- k h m t a m a &  anddea%hBtragglebet~fellowii i b t # 0 ~ g i n o f m ~ ;  whatweare w z m m d t o  ~ i e t h a f t ~ ~ v u ~ h a f t e n n o t b e ~ n  oom* fellowu, kt btwwn qmima d their sar- mlmdhp, b d l  nxlirllste and iamb*. It 't &?I ths e n a t  that prim, and fbs a h @  for exaenm dnofkmrnpt i th&al l ;  itieillwbterlnotdyby mthw ~~~, but &a by gn the enbvolm o f ~ t f ~ 0 ~ & o f ~ t 8 f o r ~ , s f ~ f o r H S n .  T b e w d d i s n o t o n i y t h e a b d e o f t b ~ i t i s ~  t b h a f f h e l o + g ?  BIOLOGtX AND WAR W m  A Rmmsmw TO 'PHEI G n r n , ~ ~  AND MOST PRXMI- mvm Mona oa ~ s n e  & R V ~ L E  a o ~  E X T S T E R ~  S d d y  w g d ,  going to war may be (in our present date of aivilizatim) the only come open to a nation that would stmd for honour, justice, and liberty ; atbioall y e s d ,  waging war may afford opportunity for the development of high vktuea ; biolo@calIy regadd, war is a r e d o n  ta that mode of the tdmggle for existence in which mta excel, namely intwndne competition. We have seen that them are many forma of the struggle for oxMmce ; we rn no w p e  from the omolusion that war is a d o a  fa the crudest md mast primitive form. If tb be true, it beho- UB to mingle few with our pride, for them we doors rhb d slipping down the rungs of the steep laddar of evolution. ArsM.r.Thecdom Cham- pints oat in his &able Iocture on ' E u p i c s  and the War ' (The E u g W  R w h ,  January 1916) : ' it ia in the act& mvhmment of war, when esoitmmt migm I supreme, that the most me- ~ ~ ~ p g e e t e d  h t inc te  d v e  a stimulus. Ld, anieIty, and blood-tMinea on the me hand ; sympathy, courage, and af ldon on the other ~ e e m  fo b intended. War Mngm out into bold I ~ t h e i n ~ ~ ~ o f g o o d a n d e v i l .  Wartearaoff the deoent pmmta of o d m  and leavw the bod nuked.' Among nonarnbatants too there is apt to be detdora- tim aa we1 as ennoblement. If war, k apit-e of being illamined by herohm and endmmnce, in spite of being emWiEihed by the achiewmrmta of Gene,  is in m n u e  a r d m  to the mdmt form of the struggle fox exishoe, om n- premcupation with it ia fuIl d danger. Some of the ridre may already be seen in unperom and imamate  depreciation of Gemm culture, in unworthy wmmm&ng, in unkindness to aliens, in excited talk 14 I - ~~d~~~ tom&iQb m f h e f m w e ~ e - a w  men?' T h e p & U v e t o n i n o a r ~ t ;  tbeapsanrl taa * d i e i s ;  tharais d m ,  s l ~ ~ ~  :I a &ad rhk of m i o n  mdation in the mud. To amnnp, naani~f&falynotshotupb@hg h mfma for gttidaaue, but if he doerr h k ~ p  emough in that direFbion, ~ E I  will &d natm hws another m & q p  Md#8, ' Emh for l k b d f ,  md diJh&rn * the bind- -; wntentimbthevitdfm; mdmareopgn totdona,' T h e r e i s a m t h e r ~ g o h ~ b  o b y d  ~ab&hflng individual grati640tl b a p b  webre. And-,if m ~ ~ d o ~ ~ i m i s t a n f o l l o w i n g , ~ i n  ww, themode of t h a ~ f o r ~ h  whiOhFete ad, he must not d e l d  h h d f  wikh the h q e  that it * n U y d t i n t b d v a l a f t h e f i M h . ~ g  pr+m asme. The most d&mbb t y p  are apt to gd dfkd out, hdq the rim imp~~&hea.  Jw Gox~a,mow T h e ~ g ~ t d t h h g a ~ i r r ~ t ~ a ~  p&#ofg i taOwarmuatbs~#dedwihh~a i . tQe i t  cnd€&mld d p m i t i Y e f o r m d  the8tmgghfa& h c e , m d t b d o m ~ b ~ * h ~ E e r u .  dt ue may work towards aviortorg aarPPe l l~ in0t~ )~h icbmakee  If this war bringer racial impoverishment, EM it bound do, w h t  o o u n k t m t h a  are mble ? (a) We 4 may perhap lo& for a more marked approval of d & b  forma of oelibaoy and a etronger encom~ment of fl uhi&m rn-. @) There m y  arpriq up a f d -  I ened mthwiasm for all-round fitnw md a high -dad of hdth,  and it. must be grmtgd that dI irnpwvemmb I of 'nurture'in thewideat m w e  are fo thegood as long a s i f i s ~ I y ~ t h & v e n e e r i n p ; d o ~ ~ n o t  make bad woad s o d .  Perhaps our W may a&eagthen our ~ e 0 h b i  hfe0cr the d 0 d  due fohw* 4 to improve the oonditim that are H part to blame I - fOFthe&whioh&mbnurrrreanatim. (c) Some &taxer t m b m h d q  of w h t  86Wion rnm may lead 4 ae to -the rdmmhm~nts which the codin- of I i W WEU will neadht9. To ~ n o h  upon the nobla I m p m n d e e i  means crippling awh supar-men aa pahtera and muddam. May we not try pincbiq our- d ~ i n o u r m ~ W m e w e b & n ~ g o a r ~ & ?  (a) What the bid- is d amcemd with ia the natural inhenifan08 of &he m, w e h i a  faadammtd, and . in this regard the oatlook ommot but he gloomy, when ~ f s ~ m a n y o f t h e v e a g ~ b o f h e r ~ .  Br t we me dm obnoemed with ~OUF B& herihge, wbioh is mprmle, with for b h a e  oat tdiftom and id€& of h a r ,  , murage, j d o e ,  and godwin among . men. It re& with ae, each in hh own m y ,  t o  trg k mure that if our dd idmitsnae f impoverished, oar W hdkqe may be dohed.  

Biology and war

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Biology and war

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