January 25, 2021

Last evening we finished watching Creation a fictionalized biography movie of Charles Darwin. I then did some reading about Darwin's life and accomplishments. During his life with the publication finally of the Origin of Species in 1859 science and theology were less entwined but controversy over geology, biology, racial differences, population control, resource allocation, social improvement of those less fortunate, and eugenics all were discussed with controversy and conflict continuing to today. The educational system in England as elsewhere was greatly influenced by theology and church dynamics.Thomas Malthus proposed that the overpopulation of the world is characterized by the struggle for existence and Herbert Spencer described the survival of the fittest related to human existence. Darwin as a young researcher traveled for five years on The Beagle sailing ship observing and collecting specimens of flora and fauna from different parts of the world. He was in communication with other researchers through his subsequent career as a gentleman scientist and was aware of the changes within a species to adopt to different environmental challenges. Likewise, he was interested in geology and knew of the vast time differences which left evidence of many millions of years record of rivers, seas, sediment layers and fossils sometimes found in high altitudes in the mountains far from the sea and rivers. He studies evidence of life forms and animals now extinct whose relative are still present but have evolved. He studies the changes for example in the hand or foot showing the same bony structures evolution from hoof, to bat wing, to hand. His struggle to finally publish his groundbreaking book included his changing beliefs in divine creation and his growing understanding on the evolution of homo sapiens. He even had a theory of genetics presaging mendelian research. His theories were distorted afterwards with cultural evolution theories, eugenic speculations, and horrors of genocide and other eugenic associated atrocities. His theory of evolution has withstood great scrutiny and criticism including the famous Scopes trial in 1925. There the alternative grand designer theory was clearly refuted with the debate in court over the evolution of the eye from primitive forms to modern creatures. Darwin noted in his travels with the Fuegians he befriended that "civilization" can greatly alter how people behave and yet clan and culture are very strong so the effects of these attempts of "civilizing" may be very temporary. Our commonality with other species related to homo sapiens included his observations of a orangutan and his trainer. While writing about these issues he also published books on orchids and breeding methods. His personal life is dramatized in the movie but I'm sure there are inaccuracies there. He was ill with undiagnosed problems leaving him with tremor, nausea and vomiting with only temporary relief from hydrotherapy. He lost children from illnesses which greatly distressed him. He may have suffered from Chagas disease or a metabolic disorder related to processing lactose sugar. 

In our current times, unfortunately I see strong evidence that religious right wing evangelists other religious believers resist science when it seems to refute gospel. From the pulpit I read at various times pronouncements that claim theological evidence support politicians such as Trump, "experts" that report the virus pandemic is not so severe or the vaccine may be the wrong choice for their parishioners. White supremacist groups attempt to use eugenic  propaganda to denigrate other races. Proponents of Objectivism Ayn Rand's philosophy of Laissez-faire capitalism and opponent of altruism believing that the movers and more fit shakers deserve their wealth and privilege while the others are destined to be second. The tea party inherited some of these principles. So eighteenth century propaganda and power politics continue with scientific information being attacks if it just does not fit. https://www.counterpunch.org/2012/02/27/ayn-rand-the-tea-partys-miscast-matriarch/

 So back to science. I'm partly through an interesting book called Metazoa by Peter Godfrey Smith. He is a biologist studying marine life and writing about geological and present biological and behavioral evidence of early life forms to the present. He especially describes the behaviors and ecological challenges the octopus has. Here's a creature very different from land and sea creatures with bilateral symmetry. The octopus has radial symmetry. There is a structure like a brain but also they have other neural nodes which are associated with independent movement of the tentacles. So at times this creature seems to act as a whole with intention, curiosity, and ability to hunt, mate, fight for their territory, build nest, and escape from predators. They can see, sense through tasting, feel, and know their position and where their body parts are. They can change shape in amazing ways. Smith attempts to describe a creature with a presence but also with different parts having almost a life of its own. He digresses into the spit brain science of our human mind which I have written about previously. What I'm getting to in this post is that studying these subjects such as the behavior of octopus or other sea creatures leads to information and more questions not to definitive answers but more study so science is a lifelong endeavor. 

While writing this I talked on the telephone with an advisor who as we chatted asked me about the science of the current offerings of the COVID-19 virus vaccine. He's not trained or interested that much in science from what I can tell but wanted to know if I was concerned that the MRNA science used in the vaccine would alter the vaccine recipients genetics or biology. He had read this with warning not to get the vaccine! I told him that the science as I so far understand it used MRNA to develop the vaccine altering the protein so we can have a robust immune response against this virus if exposed to it. I advised him to read the science not the science fiction propaganda. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html

In the movie Creation Darwin becomes upset at the minister who made his children kneel on salt bruising their knees since they told the minister and class about her father's research showing the evolution of species did not require a divine presence. Darwin was furious but withheld his wrath due to his wife's entreaties to understand that gospel was powerful and she believed in it. I hope my readers will see that respect for religion and respect for scientific research can live in the same world without such conflict.

So back to a more personal note concerning science and medical treatment. My cardiologist met with me virtually this morning while Rebecca listened and took notes for herself. I have atrial fibrillation now mostly brought on by exercise. Fortunately I have no symptoms except being out of breath when my pulse rate goes too high. The current research using science shows that atrial fibrillation can progress so that more times I can have irregular heart beat as I described in my next previous post. Even with a normal sinus rhythm I am at risk for blood clots that can then travel anywhere in my body including my brain (stroke). Though I am on a platelet anti agglutinator I need to be on another medication to prevent clot formation. My risk of bleeding from injury increases so I need to be careful not to hit my head for example. Since atrial fibrillation is associated with catecholamine metabolism and release I should also take a Beta blocker. Beta blockers will slow my heart rate but also prevent run away pulse which I had evidence of while hiking recently. I am learning and adjusting to my changing health status but I am so glad to be living in these modern times where medical treatments are science based wiht good expert advise available.   

The movie Creation has some telling scenes of the primitive state of medicine that Darwin and his family experienced. To listen to medical advice from people with other agendas besides expert scientifically based health care is flirting with disaster. 

Leonard