Kamongo

by Homer W. Smith

while traveling on a ship bound for Africa, a Padre and a biologist discuss their work and evolution.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Dr Homer William Smith was an American physiologist and an advocate for science, who spent most of his career at New York University School of Medicine. His research work focused on the kidney and he discovered inulin at the same time as A.N. Richards. Dr. Smith authored several books including From Fish to Philosopher, Man and His Gods,and The Kidney: Structure and function in health and disease.
Homer Smith's elegant experiments on the kidney in the 1930s proved beyond any doubt that it operated according to physical principles, both as a filter and a secretory organ, eliminating the last vestige of Vitalism in physiology.
He also served on the board of trustees of Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public, from 1952-1955.
In 1932, he published 'Kamongo', a fictional account of his search for the lungfish, in which he questioned man 's place in nature by recounting, in a masterly fashion, an imaginary debate between a young scientist and an Anglican missionary as their ship moved
through the Red Sea.
A quarter of a century later, he re-examined the same subject on new
grounds: Man and His Gods considered man's ideas about the supernatural in the perspective of the evolution of Western theology and philosophy from the ancient Egyptians to the nineteenth century.
Dr. Smith is survived by his son, Homer Wilson Smith.

Reviews

[Maggie Eisenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essentially this book is just a conceit to allow for the articulation of an argument against belief in any creationist god as opposed to the simple workings of evolution. One fascinating aspect of the argument is the suggestion that our species is as much a dead end or blind alley as a lungfish, in that we have stopped evolving and if the environment was altered in any large scale way we would not have the capacity to adapt and would go extinct, while some other life form would achieve ascendancy. Personally, I don't see why one can't accept that scenario and still believe that some god was instrumental in the original creation of the universe, in any capacity, and whether one has some variety of faith or other I see no reason to doubt that the human species will come to an end.

[John]

I first read this book years ago as an undergraduate (in the 1970s), but I failed to appreciate just how good it is. Although written in 1932, it resonates well with the current evolution vs creation debate. This time, I read Kamongo aloud to my companion on a cross-country trip--it works very well for reading aloud. Although some of the biology in the book could be updated, it is still a great read that offers much to think about.

[Gail Kennon]

mostly enjoyed the discussion of meaning or no-meaning of life.