Nature Blog Network Future Earth: Delightful - Dinner with Darwin

Saturday 19 January 2008

Delightful - Dinner with Darwin

What fun, and thank you New Humanist for allowing me a fun-filled fantasy. Charles Darwin is 199 and coming to my house for dinner. You have asked:

What would you tell him? About the Darwin Initiative http://www.darwin.gov.uk/ and about the Beagle Project http://www.thebeagleproject.com/

What would you ask him? For some advice on how to convince a doubting global public about an astonishing idea (to whit, that we might have to use our brains and consider altruism if the future earth is to support human life).

What would you bring him? Some fetching, intelligent, witty and gentle female biologists as company. There’s a surprise.

How would you describe the evening? Immediately, in purple prose, on this blog.

What book would you bring him?Darwin made easy” by Edward B. Aveling, D.Sc 2nd edition published in London by the Progressive Publishing Company in 1889.

What film? C’m on – it would have to be “The Life of Brian”, no? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/

What would he think of the fact that his ideas and personality are under attack from Intelligent Design and creationism? He might express some surprise that debate remained – but then we’d show him the Tom Cruise “vox pop” on Scientology and he’d realize how effectively 21st Century mankind had disconnected itself from evolutionary fitness.

2 comments:

Karen James said...

Wow, we are so honoured that you would spend your precious time with Chas telling him about the new Beagle. Thanks! Karen/Nunatak of the Beagle Project

Theo said...

And what's on the menu?

Mutton chops, of course.