I remember quite some time ago I came across an interesting quote which I believe was attributed to the evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky. If I recall right, it was in one of G.G. Simpson's books in which he was recounting some of the discussion around the time the modern synthesis of evolution was being formulated. The quote was something along the lines of "that's a wonderful story. But it's wrong." I have been trying to find what the exact quote was for reference but I do not think I have the original book where I saw it anymore. Any information on the context of this quote or if I have it wrongly attributed would be appreciated.
This is such an interesting question that I have been inspired to revisit my heroes of the Modern Synthesis of which Dobzhansky and Simpson were enthusiastic members. So far I have not found such a quotation but am enjoying the search online and through the books i have collected throughout the years.
No quite germane perhaps but I like this by Simpson who admired Dobzhansky thoroughly despite his initial lack of knowledge of the genetics of evolutionary theory:
" Not long ago, paleontologists felt that a geneticist was a person who shut himself in a room, pulled down the shades, watched small flies disporting themselves in milk bottles, and thought that he was studying nature. A pursuit so removed from the realities of life, they said, had no significance for the true biologist. On the other hand, the geneticists said that paleontology had no further contributions to make to biology, that its only point had been the completed demonstration of the truth of evolution, and that it was a subject too purely descriptive to merit the name 'science'. The paleontologist, they believed, is like a man who undertakes to study the principles of the internal combustion engine by standing on a street corner and watching the motor cars whiz by. "
As a molecular phylogeneticist whose roots are in the evolutionary theory of the Modern Synthesis and post-synthesis (George Williams, Bill Hamilton) geniuses, and who now works in a vertebrate paleo-prep lab, I can totally relate to this quote. Will keep looking for your quote which may well be in "Tempo and Mode" .
Thanks for a fun question.
Patrice Showers Corneli
If it helps, I believe it was a G.G. Simpson volume reminiscing about the history of the discipline and what he had seen during the crucial periods of formation of the modern synthesis. Or a biography of Simpson talking about the history of the modern synthesis.
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