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Walking with Cavemen

The 'Walking with Cavemen' series had to happen. After the highly successful 'Walking with Dinosaurs' came the sequel 'Walking with Beasts'. It was only a matter of time before the BBC gave us the natural history of human evolution.

Like the predecessors, a dramatic story is a necessary ingredient in each episode. This is quite a challenge when the story of human evolution has to be gleaned from a rather meagre supply of fossil bones. The presenter, Professor Robert Winston, spoke about them all fitting into the boot of his car. Naturally, we wish to ask whether this evidence actually supports the claim that humans evolved?

The theory on which the series is based comes across clearly. Darwinism has the selection and accumulation of advantageous natural variations under the influence of environmental pressures. The viewer is reminded regularly of how animals adapted to forests shrinking, grasslands spreading and other climatic changes.

What were the natural variations that were selected? The series started with Australopithecus afarensis, an ape capable of walking upright. This was claimed to give an energy advantage - equivalent to a packet of chocolate biscuits in a year. This is typical of Darwinian thinking - even a slight advantage is deemed sufficient to drive radical transformation.

From the Bible, we know that Adam was the first man. Adam was distinct from all the animals, which is shown in his naming of them and the subsequent creation of Eve to be his partner. This discontinuity between mankind and the animals contrasts strongly with the evolutionary emphasis of 'Walking with Cavemen'. Speech and culture came into this world with Adam and Eve, and there was no lengthy evolution over millennia.

With so little of substance to work with, the BBC series adopted the Darwinian practice of 'storytelling'. It is as though a plausible story consistent with the theory substitutes for data. We have no real evidence that 'apemen' ever existed. Programme 2 referred to many species of apeman, but one of them was acknowledged to be like a gorilla and not in the line of human evolution. Another is known only from skull bones. The third, Homo habilis, is surrounded by controversy. This is not a convincing database to support the idea that there were animals transitional between apes and men.

Having said this, millions are watching the programmes and purchasing the book and video. For an informed commentary, please consult the website of the Biblical Creation Society, which has a special feature on the series: http://www.biblicalcreation.org/cavemen/default.html

David J. Tyler

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Walking with Cavemen

David J. Tyler

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