La polémica sobre el hombre terciario y su expresión en la Valencia de comienzos del siglo XX

Author:

Català Gorgues, Jesús Ignacio

Format:

Journal Article

Year:

2012

Journal Title:

Asclepio

Volume:

64

Issue:

1

Language:

Spanish

Abstract:

El postulado por parte de algunos evolucionistas de finales del siglo XIX acerca de la antigüedad terciaria de la humanidad suscitó intensas polémicas entre naturalistas, biólogos y médicos. En España también hubo adherentes y detractores, cuyas diatribas entraban en el contexto general de la cuestión evolucionista en nuestro país. El debate se animó especialmente a raíz de la llegada a Valencia, en 1889, de un esqueleto humano fósil procedente de la Argentina al que se le atribuyeron rasgos primitivos y una gran antigüedad. A comienzos del siglo XX, una serie de publicaciones sobre dicho ejemplar reactivaron la polémica, con el catedrático de la Universidad de Valencia, Eduardo Boscá, como partidario de la atribución de edad terciaria, y con el antagonismo destacado ante tal propuesta del médico Faustino Barberá y de diversos científicos jesuitas. Datos científicos y argumentos ideológicos y religiosos se combinaron en la defensa de las posturas enfrentadas.

Postulates on the tertiary age of humanity by some late-19th century evolutionists gave rise to heated controversy among naturalists, biologists and physicians. In Spain, the diatribes between supporters and detractors must be located within the general context of the evolutionary subject in a country, that was deeply polarized by ideological impregnations. Spanish debate was specially motivated by the arrival in Valencia of a human skeleton fossil in 1889. This specimen, collected in Argentina, showed some peculiar traits that were classified as primitive and dating from the Tertiary time period. During the early decades of 20th century, a series of papers about that skeleton were published and the controversy was reactivated. On one side, we find Eduardo Boscá, natural history professor in the University of Valencia, as a partisan of Tertiary age; on the other, the physician Faustino Barberá and some Jesuit scientists. Scientific data and ideological and religious arguments were combined in the defence of each confronted view.

What (Subjects):

Sciences -- Biology -- Evolution

Where (Locations):

Europe -- Spain -- Valencia

When (Centuries):

19th century

20th century

Publisher URL:

http://asclepio.revistas.csic.es/index.php/asclepio/article/view/513/

Page Range:

63–96

ISSN:

0210-4466

DOI:

10.3989/asclepio.2012.v64.i1.513