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 * JBS Haldane: 1892-1964
 * Books
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Haldane in the mid-1930s.



Haldane agitating for the Communist Party.



Haldane (right) in the Black Watch circa 1915.


JOHN BURDON SANDERSON HALDANE FRS


1892-1964

"[In reference to] conflict between mutation and selection [there are]
statements of the modern Russian school [which depend] unfortunately [on]
data... not translated into languages which I understand[but from which] it
appear that they claim to have obtained adaptive inheritable changes in a number
of plants. It is probable that genes which for any reason are induced to greater
or lesser activity than usual might alter in consequence, such alterations being
particularly likely to appear as mutations in the germ line where, as in higher
plants, the germ cells are directly descended from the highly active cells of
the growing point."

JBS Haldane, in Evolution as a Process (1954), ppp. 109-121.

In his day Professor JBS Haldane was as well-known a scientist as one could hope
to be. Magazines paid handsomely for his articles explaining science to the
general public. Collected in books, these continued to sell for years. When he
voiced his classically-educated opinions, the newspapers listened, and the BBC
transmitted them. Reckless physiological self-experimentation, learned from his
father, created useful drama. 'Prof' had the sort of presence as a general
science popularizer and skeptic that Richard Dawkins and Stephen Jay Gould came
to command half a century later. But Haldane had a far broader scientific reach,
and more panache. Technically, he was a mathematical population geneticist and
evolutionary theorist, one of the founders of the New Synthesis which anchored
Darwin to Mendel through statistical wizardry (impressive to those in the know,
but an unpromising basis for broader fame). Along the way, he also took up
communism.


POLITICS AND ESPIONAGE

A detailed consideration of Haldane's politics and his involvement in Soviet
espionage, based on previously ignored sources, including MI5 files and the
Haldane Archive at UCL. Published here in (mobile-friendly) HTML and PDF
formats.


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES CIRCA 1940

I was born at Oxford, England, in 1892.  My father was Prof. J. S. Haldane, the
physiologist.  I was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford.  but However I
learned much of my science by apprenticeship, assisting my father from the age
of eight onwards, and my university degree is in for classics, not science.  I
was in a British infantry battalion from 1914 to 1919, and was twice wounded. 
In 1919 I began scientific research in 1910, and became a Fellow of New College,
Oxford, in 1919.  I was at Cambridge from 1922-1932 as Reader in Biochemistry,
and have been a professor in London University since 1933.  I was visiting
professor in the University of Berkeley, Cal., in 1932.  In the same year I was
elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. 

My scientific work has been varied.  In the field of human physiology I am best
known for my work on the physiolog effects of taking large amounts of ammonium
chloride and other salts.  This has had some application in treating lead and
radium poisoning.  In the field of genetics I was the first to discover linkage
in mammals, to map a human chromosome, and (with Penrose) to measure the
mutation rate of a human gene.  I have also made some minor discoveries in
mathematics.

Whilst I may have been a credit to my universities, I am have not been a trial
in other ways.  I was dismissed from Cambridge University in 1926 in connexion
with a divorce case, but regained my post on appeal to a higher tribunal, which
found that the university authorities had decided to dismiss me without hearing
my case.  At present I have refused to evacuate University College, London, and,
with two assistants am its sole academic occupant.  I am carrying on research
there under difficulties.

Besides strictly scientific books I have written a number of popular works
including a children's book of children's stories.  I consider that a scientist,
if he can do so, should help to render science intelligible to ordinary people,
and have done my best to popularize it.

Till 1933 I tried to keep out of politics, but the support given by the British
Government to Hitler and Mussolini forced me to enter the political field.  In
1936-1938 I spent three months in Republican Spain, first as an adviser on gas
protection, and then as an observer of air raid precautions.  I have been was in
the front line during fighting, and in several air raids behind the line.  Since
then I have tried, with complete lack of success, to induce the British
Government to adopt air raid protection measures which had proved their efficacy
in Spain.

Mr. Chamberlain's policy, and the recent developments in physics and biology,
combined to convince me of the truth of the Marxist philosophy.  Though I am a
member of no political party, I have of late years supported the communist party
on a number of issues.  At present I am engaged on research in genetics, &
research intended to save the lives of members of the British armed forces, and
in on writing and public speaking designed to prevent the spreading of the
present war, and if possible to secure bring about peace.  I am a fairly
competent public speaker.

It will be seen that my life has been a full one.  I have been married for ten
14 years, measure 73 inches, weigh 245 pounds, and enjoy swimming and mountain
walking.  I am bald and blue-eyed, a moderate drinker and a heavy smoker.  I can
read 12 11 languages and make public speeches in three, but am unmusical.


FACSIMILES

 * Daedalus or Science and the Future. London: Kegan Paul, 1923; New York:
   Dutton, 1924.
   PDF Facsimile and HTML transcription.
   
 * Callinicus: a Defence of Chemical Warfare. New York: Dutton, 1925.
   PDF Facsimile.
 * Possible Worlds and Other Essays. London: Chatto and Windus, 1927.
   PDF Facsimile and HTML transcription
   
 * Science and Ethics. London: Watts, 1928.
   PDF Facsimile
   
 * The Causes of Evolution. London: Longmans, 1932.
   PDF Facsimile
   
 * Biology and Everyday Life. London, 1933.
   PDF Facsimile
   
 * The Inequality of Man and Other Essays. London: Chatto and Windus, 1932
   [Penguin Reprint, 1938].
   PDF Facsimile
   
 * My Friend Mr. Leakey. London: Chatto and Windus, 1937 [Penguin Reprint,
   1938].
   HTML Transcription For children.
   
 * ARP [Air Raid Precautions] London: Victor Gollancz, 1938
   PDF Facsimile
   
 * Heredity and Politics London: Allen and Unwin, 1938
   PDF Facsimile
   
 * Science and Everyday Life. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1939.
   PDF Facsimile
 * A Banned Broadcast London: Chatto and Windus, 1946.
   PDF Facsimile
 * Science Advances London: Allen and Unwin, 1947.
   PDF Facsimile
 * Everything has a History London: Allen and Unwin, 1951.
   PDF Facsimile
 * The Biochemistry of Genetics London: Allen and Unwin, 1954.
   PDF Facsimile
 * Unity and Diversity of Life: Sardar Patel Lectures Ministry of Information,
   Indian Government, 1958.
   PDF Facsimile
 * Science and Life: Essays of a Rationalist. London: Pemberton, 1968.
   PDF Facsimile
 * Selected Genetics Papers. New York: Garland, 1990.
   PDF Facsimile (thanks to the Wellcome Library - Creative Commons License)