Douglas Dewar

Douglas Dewar: Barrister, Civil Servant, Ornithologist, and Anti-Evolutionist

Douglas Dewar (1875-1957) was a multifaceted individual who wore many hats throughout his life. Here's a compilation of the information available about him:

Occupations:

• Barrister: Dewar held a qualification to practice law in court.
• Civil Servant: He served in the Indian Civil Service, likely in an administrative role during the British Raj.
• Ornithologist: Dewar was a passionate birdwatcher and expert on the birds of India. He wrote extensively on the subject, publishing numerous books and articles.

Ornithological Contributions:

• Authored several books on Indian birds, potentially including titles like:
  • "Jungle Folk" (his most popular book according to Goodreads)
  • "Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds"
  • Contributed articles to various publications like The Madras Mail, Pioneer, Times of India, Civil and Military Gazette, and Bird Notes.
• His focus was likely on observing and documenting the avifauna (birdlife) of India, contributing to the knowledge of the region's birds.

Anti-Evolution Stance:

• An interesting aspect of Dewar's life is his opposition to the theory of evolution.
• Despite his background in science (presumably through his study of natural history), he became a vocal critic of Darwin's ideas later in life.
• Founding member and leader of the Evolution Protest Movement (EPM) in London: This organization, now known as the Creation Science Movement, is still active and promotes a literal interpretation of the Bible in opposition to evolutionary theory.
• Authored a book titled "The Transformist Illusion" published posthumously in 1957, which likely outlined his arguments against evolution.

Sources of Information:

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Dewar provides a concise overview of Dewar's life and accomplishments.
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/20841524.Nedra_Glover_Tawwab lists some of the books he authored on Indian birds.
• Creation Science Movement website: https://crev.info/ mentions him as a founding member and leader of the EPM.

Noteworthy Points:

• Dewar's life and work reflect the complexities of human thought. He could be a dedicated scientist studying birds while simultaneously rejecting a fundamental scientific theory like evolution.
• It's important to consider the historical context of his anti-evolution views, which emerged during a period of increased debate about Darwinism and religion.