Letters

Survival of the fittest (letter)

Arthur Negus

Contents - Feb 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Catholic schools: how much accountability? - Michael Gilchrist Cardinal Arinze on the Liturgy: the Mass is not entertainment - Cardinal Francis Arinze News: The Church Around the World Catechesis: Latest research on Catholic school leavers - Michael Gilchrist Education: Catholic Church and her schools face a 'wake-up call' - Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett Liturgical Music: The spiritual impact of Msgr. Richard Schuler's priestly leadership and example - Fr John T. Zuhlsdorf Priestly vocations: the key role of bishops - John Mallon New Age paganism's creeping influence within the Church - Wanda Skowronska Blessed Charles de Foucauld: seeking nothing but God's will - Dr Frank Mobbs The Church of England: beyond satire? - Rev Peter Mullen Letters: Clerical Celibacy (letter) - Fr Adrian Head Letters: All Saints Day (letter) - M & L Morrissey Letters: Ars priests retreat - Fr Robert Markey Letters: Wrong chord? (letter) - John Daly Prayer: The Abandonment Prayer of Charles de Foucauld Letters: Beautiful music (letter) - Josephine Landsberg Letters: Cardinal von Galen (letter) - Denise M. Cameron Letters: Survival of the fittest (letter) - Arthur Negus Letters: Evolutionism - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Intelligent design (letter) - Paul MacLeod Letters: Homilies (letter) - Robert Prinzen-Wood Letters: Catholic magazines needed in India - Fr A. Joseph Letters: EWTN tapes available - Harry and Antoinette Zwaans Books: Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: The Pope Benedict Code, by Joanna Bogle - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: For the Life of the World:St Maximilian and the Eucharist, by Fr Jerzy Domanski - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: CATHOLIC FAMILY CATECHISM: Disciples' Edition and Apostles' Edition, Fr Tierney - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Events: Virtus - Retreat for Young Men Events: Lecture on the Compendium of the Catechism - Msgr Peter Elliott Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: The hidden treasure of the Holy Mass - St Leonard of Port Maurice

Archbishop Hickey is quoted as alluding to a supposed law of nature called "the survival of the fittest" (October AD2000).

Survival of the fittest is a tautology, i.e., saying the same thing twice. It was first enunciated by Herbert Spencer (1820-1903); not, as is usually believed, by Charles Darwin. Alas, poor Herbert, who had some claim to being a professional philosopher, could not see that a tautology is not a law of nature but a statement of the obvious!

Survivors are those who, being so fit, survive; non-survivors are those who, being so unfit, do not survive. Yet innocent school pupils are taught such self-evident stuff as being a scientific law driving the emergence of new species.

ARTHUR NEGUS
Tuggerawong, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 1 (February 2006), p. 15