Michael Pitman
Encyclopedia
Michael George Pitman OBE
(7 February 1933 – 30 March 2000) was an English-born Australia
n biologist, who was Chief Scientist of Australia
from 1992 to 1996. He is most well known for his book Adam and evolution: a scientific critique of neo-Darwinism.
, England
to Percy George Pitman (a butcher) and Norma Ethel née Payne (a milliner). His family lived in Bedminster where Michael attended Southville Primary School in an adjacent suburb. When World War II
began, Michael and his mother and brother lived in the village of East Harptree
which was relatively safer from the threat of German bombs. Returning to Bedminster, Michael attended Colston's School as his father and grandfather had, although the family's financial circumstances required him to qualify for a scholarship to attend Colston's. Whilst attending a Christian student conference in 1951, he met his future wife, Maureen Room, with whom he corresponded while attending university and whom he married in 1955.
at the University of Cambridge
, and he started his studies there in 1952. Graduating with a first class degree, another scholarship from the Agricultural Research Council
enabled him to complete a PhD in botany in 1959. He continued to work at Cambridge in teaching and post-doctoral research, and was appointed a Junior Fellow of St John's College
.
In 1962, Dr. Pitman was offered a job as a lecturer at the University of Adelaide
in South Australia
, which he accepted, intending to return to England eventually. However, his family found the lifestyle in Australia very enjoyable, and when Pitman was offered the position of Professor of Biology (Plant Physiology) at the University of Sydney
in 1966, he and his family decided to remain in Australia permanently.
(CSIRO), Australia's peak scientific body. He became an associate member of the CSIRO's Executive in 1985, and was Deputy to the Chief Executive from 1987 to 1988.
In 1992, Pitman was made the second Chief Scientist of Australia
, advising the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
on scientific matters.
is non-religious in basis. In his book Pitman discussed a wide range of topics from palaeontology to molecular biology
in which he contrasts the evolutionary explanation with to him the superior creationist explanation. Pitman discussed in length in his book the problem of complex adaptive structures, down to the molecular level, the problem of the origin of Cytochrome c
and the gaps in the fossil record. According to Pitman there has never been any chemical evolution
or macroevolution
on earth, but there has been microevolution
.
In an article Pitman openly admitted that he was in opposition to religious fundamentalist creationism
, he also was a critic of young earth creationism
, Pitman believed in a creator
but never discussed who it was, he however explained that the creator had created a number of archetypes which Pitman used as an explanation for parallelism
and homology
.
According to Pitman:
Brian Inglis
wrote that "Pitman's creationism remembles deism, assuming the existence of a creative force without allowing allegiance to any particular god".
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(7 February 1933 – 30 March 2000) was an English-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n biologist, who was Chief Scientist of Australia
Office of the Chief Scientist (Australia)
The Office of the Chief Scientist is part of Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research . Its primary responsibilities are to support the Chief Scientist and the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council .-Chief Scientist:The Chief Scientist is responsible for...
from 1992 to 1996. He is most well known for his book Adam and evolution: a scientific critique of neo-Darwinism.
Early life
Pitman was born in 1933, at the family home in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Percy George Pitman (a butcher) and Norma Ethel née Payne (a milliner). His family lived in Bedminster where Michael attended Southville Primary School in an adjacent suburb. When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began, Michael and his mother and brother lived in the village of East Harptree
East Harptree
East Harptree is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated north of Wells and south of Bristol, on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills overlooking the Chew Valley. The parish has a population of 680...
which was relatively safer from the threat of German bombs. Returning to Bedminster, Michael attended Colston's School as his father and grandfather had, although the family's financial circumstances required him to qualify for a scholarship to attend Colston's. Whilst attending a Christian student conference in 1951, he met his future wife, Maureen Room, with whom he corresponded while attending university and whom he married in 1955.
Education and career
Whilst attending Colston's School, Pitman had achieved high marks in science subjects, particularly in botany, on which he decided to focus at university. He won two scholarships to attend Sidney Sussex CollegeSidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, and he started his studies there in 1952. Graduating with a first class degree, another scholarship from the Agricultural Research Council
Agricultural and Food Research Council
The Agricultural and Food Research Council , was a British Research Council responsible for funding and managing scientific and technological developments in farming and horticulture....
enabled him to complete a PhD in botany in 1959. He continued to work at Cambridge in teaching and post-doctoral research, and was appointed a Junior Fellow of St John's College
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
.
In 1962, Dr. Pitman was offered a job as a lecturer at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, which he accepted, intending to return to England eventually. However, his family found the lifestyle in Australia very enjoyable, and when Pitman was offered the position of Professor of Biology (Plant Physiology) at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in 1966, he and his family decided to remain in Australia permanently.
Organisational career
In 1983, Dr. Pitman retired from the University of Sydney, and was appointed as the Director of the Institute of Biological Resources, one of the divisions of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
(CSIRO), Australia's peak scientific body. He became an associate member of the CSIRO's Executive in 1985, and was Deputy to the Chief Executive from 1987 to 1988.
In 1992, Pitman was made the second Chief Scientist of Australia
Office of the Chief Scientist (Australia)
The Office of the Chief Scientist is part of Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research . Its primary responsibilities are to support the Chief Scientist and the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council .-Chief Scientist:The Chief Scientist is responsible for...
, advising the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is an Australian Government department. The Department was first established in 1911...
on scientific matters.
Creationism
Pitman was believer in creationism who wrote the book Adam and evolution: a scientific critique of neo-Darwinism. Pitman however pointed out in his book that his critique of evolutionEvolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
is non-religious in basis. In his book Pitman discussed a wide range of topics from palaeontology to molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
in which he contrasts the evolutionary explanation with to him the superior creationist explanation. Pitman discussed in length in his book the problem of complex adaptive structures, down to the molecular level, the problem of the origin of Cytochrome c
Cytochrome c
The Cytochrome complex, or cyt c is a small heme protein found loosely associated with the inner membrane of the mitochondrion. It belongs to the cytochrome c family of proteins. Cytochrome c is a highly soluble protein, unlike other cytochromes, with a solubility of about 100 g/L and is an...
and the gaps in the fossil record. According to Pitman there has never been any chemical evolution
Chemical evolution
Chemical evolution may refer to:*Nucleosynthesis, the creation of chemical elements in the universe either through the Big Bang, or supernovae*Abiogenesis, the transition from nonliving elements to living systems...
or macroevolution
Macroevolution
Macroevolution is evolution on a scale of separated gene pools. Macroevolutionary studies focus on change that occurs at or above the level of species, in contrast with microevolution, which refers to smaller evolutionary changes within a species or population.The process of speciation may fall...
on earth, but there has been microevolution
Microevolution
Microevolution is the changes in allele frequencies that occur over time within a population. This change is due to four different processes: mutation, selection , gene flow, and genetic drift....
.
In an article Pitman openly admitted that he was in opposition to religious fundamentalist creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
, he also was a critic of young earth creationism
Young Earth creationism
Young Earth creationism is the religious belief that Heavens, Earth, and all life on Earth were created by direct acts of the Abrahamic God during a relatively short period, sometime between 5,700 and 10,000 years ago...
, Pitman believed in a creator
Creator deity
A creator deity is a deity responsible for the creation of the world . In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator deity, while polytheistic traditions may or may not have creator deities...
but never discussed who it was, he however explained that the creator had created a number of archetypes which Pitman used as an explanation for parallelism
Parallelism
Parallelism may refer to:* Angle of parallelism, the angle at one vertex of a right hyperbolic triangle that has two hyperparallel sides* Conscious parallelism, price-fixing between competitors in an oligopoly that occurs without an actual spoken agreement between the parties* Parallel computing,...
and homology
Homology (biology)
Homology forms the basis of organization for comparative biology. In 1843, Richard Owen defined homology as "the same organ in different animals under every variety of form and function". Organs as different as a bat's wing, a seal's flipper, a cat's paw and a human hand have a common underlying...
.
According to Pitman:
I personally have had no inward revelations as to how or why creation occurred. Did a complete creation or successive creations occur? Was life on earth made once-for-all or was its complexity purposely increased by stages on an age-old earth? Perhaps we will never know. What matters is the fact of a coded design and the sensible inference of creation that it is possible to draw from a study of the biological machines we call plants and animals.
Brian Inglis
Brian Inglis
Brian Inglis was an Irish journalist, historian and television presenter. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, and retained an interest in Irish history and politics....
wrote that "Pitman's creationism remembles deism, assuming the existence of a creative force without allowing allegiance to any particular god".
See also
- Intelligent designIntelligent designIntelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
- Michael DentonMichael DentonMichael John Denton is a British-Australian author and biochemist. In 1973, Denton received his PhD in Biochemistry from King's College London.-Biography:...
- Gordon Rattray TaylorGordon Rattray TaylorGordon Rattray Taylor was a popular British author and journalist. He is most famous for his 1968 book The Biological Time Bomb, which heralded the rise of biotechnology and for his 1983 book The Great Evolution Mystery.-Biography:Gordon Rattray Taylor was born in Eastbourne on 11 January 1911,...
- Richard MiltonRichard Milton (author)Richard Milton is a British journalist and writer who deals with often highly controversial subjects. Milton, an engineer by training, has published on the topics of popular history, business, scientific controversies and alternative science and has published a novel.-Books:Popular science book...