Mind you, I don't mean to say that men and women in the world, around us are wallowing in mortal sin: they haven't got the constitution for it.—Mr Frank Sheed, .addressing the Boseo Conference. Edinburgh, 1947.

Mr Sheed (Man the Forgotten) and Mr Alexis Carrel (Man the Unknown) both chose to write a book about Man. The Catholic wrote didactically, emphasising the known truths about man and his divine origin and destiny. The scientist came very near in many ways to the Catholic position. Both entered a protest against the materialistic trends that would move man from his central and unique place in the universe and regard him simply as another species and subordinate his individuality to the laws that govern masses. These two authors, however, differed, as far as my present subject is concerned, in that the Catholic tended to look backwards while the scientist took cognisance of something that the other decided to ignore, the possibility that man is still undergoing evolutionary change.

Fundamentally, it goes without saying, man does not change. If the concept man differs from the man whom the psalmist sang of and Christ provided for and St Thomas considered in his cosmic and eternal setting then not only philosophy but also theology are challenged. Terms, above all the major term in all our syllogisms about man, have changed their meaning and we are wandering in the jungles of incertitude again.