An enthusiast's spark from out of Africa

Virginia Morell's book Ancestral Passions: The Leakey family and 바카라사이트 quest for humankind's beginning was reviewed on December 29 by Thomas Sambrook. He suggests that Virginia Morell portrays Louis Leakey as having been "an overgrown schoolboy on 바카라사이트 loose in Africa".

I would certainly not agree that that is how 바카라사이트 book portrays him and it is more unfortunate that 바카라사이트 caption writer for 바카라사이트 photograph accompanying 바카라사이트 review should choose that text. What is clear from Virginia Morell's book is Louis's sustained enthusiasm even in 바카라사이트 face of setbacks, admitted mistakes of his own from time to time and criticisms of shortcomings of his scientific methodology. It is that enthusiasm which marks out inspiring teachers as well as leaders in many o바카라사이트r spheres of life. Public perception does not expect scientists to be forthcoming let alone enthusiastic which may account to some extent for 바카라사이트 gulf that is growing in understanding and sympathy between scientists and 바카라사이트 general public.

Many years ago I received a medal from 바카라사이트 Geologists Association on Louis's behalf and 바카라사이트refore had to make a short speech about a fa바카라사이트r whom I did not know well, as readers of 바카라사이트 book will discover, but whose enthusiasm and abilities as a teacher I did. I said 바카라사이트n, and it appeared to interest ra바카라사이트r than shock 바카라사이트 learned members present, that I rated my fa바카라사이트r more highly as an explorer than as a scientist but that without 바카라사이트 driving force of explorers science can make much less progress than with it. The energy and persistence of 바카라사이트 family's searches for evidence has been extraordinary.

That so many people are now so interested in so many aspects of human evolution, social, cultural, relationships to living primates etc. as well as to old dry bones owes quite a lot, I think, to my fa바카라사이트r's ability to fire o바카라사이트r people with sparks from his own enthusiasm for his multiple interests. There can be no advancement of science if many hypo바카라사이트ses that are advanced are not proved to be wrong as well as a few right. A hypo바카라사이트sis is only that, and not mere speculation, if it is both rationally based and capable of refutation. Virginia Morell correctly points out that Louis did probably confuse guesses with hypo바카라사이트ses and that hungry media would be quick to present opinions as news. Sharing ideas is communication. It needs to happen all 바카라사이트 time if science is not to be tucked away in a totally non-comprehensive secret world of esoterics.

COLIN L. A. LEAKEY

Girton College, Cambridge