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Sir Arthur Keith (February 5, 1866—January 7, 1955) was a Scottish anatomist and anthropologist, and was a leading figure in the study of human fossils.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Piltdown Man Hoax 3 Writings 3.1 Concerning Man's Origins 3.2 A Manual of Practical Anatomy (1901) 3.3 Human Embryology and Morphology (1902, 6th ed. 1949) 3.4 The Antiquity of Man (1915, 2d ed. 1925) 3.5 A New Theory of Human Evolution (1948) 4 Quotes: 5 References 6 Links

Born in Aberdeen, he obtained a Bachelor of Medicine at the University of Aberdeen in 1888. He travelled to Siam on a gold mining trip in 1889 where he gathered plants for Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London in his capacity as a plant collector assistant for the Botanical Survey of the Malay Peninsula.

On returning to Britain in 1892, Keith studied anatomy at University College London and at the University of Aberdeen. It was at Aberdeen where Keith won the first Struthers Prize in 1893 for his demonstration of ligaments in humans and other apes. In 1894, he was made a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

He studied primate skulls, and in 1897 he published An Introduction to the Study of Anthropoid Apes. Other works include Human Embryology and Morphology (1902), Ancient Types of Man (1911), The Antiquity of Man (1915), Concerning Man's Origins (1927), and A New Theory of Human Evolution, (1948).

Keith was editor of the Journal of Anatomy between 1915 and 1936.

He was knighted in 1921, and he published New Discoveries in 1931. In 1932, he helped found a research institute in Downe, Kent, where he worked until his death.

Keith was a strong proponent of the Piltdown Man, and he was suspected to be a co-conspirator of the hoax along with Charles Dawson, but was later acquitted of any involvement. Piltdown: A Scientific Forgery, written by Frank Spencer after completing the research of Ian Langham, an Australian historian of science who suspected Keith before his death in 1984, explored the link between Keith and Dawson and suggested it was Keith who prepared the fake specimens for Dawson to plant. However recent evidence has been found at The Natural History Museum, London that proves otherwise.

Concerning Man's Origins, a book based on his Presidential Address at the British Association in 1927, contains a chapter entitled 'Capital as a Factor in Evolution' in which he proposes an interesting explanation for Britain's leading role in the development of Industrial Society. Essentially he argues that the cold unwelcoming climate of Britain selected those who came here for a special ability to store up food and supplies for the winter - those who didn't died out. This 'capitalism' provided a secure way of life with time to think and experiment, for a population that had been selected for inventiveness and resourcefulness. Out of this special population sprang the Industrial Revolution, centred on the colder Northern counties of England like Lancashire and Yorkshire where the high-tech developments of the time took place in spinning and weaving.

with Alfred William Hughes

In A New Theory of Human Evolution, Keith puts forward his ideas on the co-evolution of Human beings, Races, and Cultures, covering topics such as Patriotism, Resentment and Revenge, Morality, Leadership, Nationalism, and Race. His particular theory emphasises the ideas of 'In-group versus Out-group', and the 'Amity-Enmity Complex'. Often quoted, but very hard to get, this book covers, in one concise and very readable work, a whole lot of topics that are extremely relevant today, since discussion of such ideas was revived with E O Wilson's publication of 'Sociobiology' and now thrives under the title of 'Evolutionary Psychology'.

One chapter, entitled The Jews as a Nation and as a Race, tackles what is often referred to as 'the Jewish Question', postulating that the Jews are a special case of a race that has evolved to live as the 'out-group' amongst other races, developing a special culture that enables it to survive by means of strong cultural traditions that bind the 'in-group' with unusual loyalty and defensiveness. Though such claims are controversial today, he is only saying what Shakespeare (Merchant of Venice) and others said, and he puts the facts for both sides fairly and honestly.

These last two books are very hard to obtain, and it would seem that original copies exist only in small numbers, and that modern reprints (which would seem well warranted) do not exist. The latter is available online, however; see link below.

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"Why is it that feelings which accompany the practice of every kind of reprisal or of revenge are painful? Indeed, all the feelings which enter into the practice of the code of enmity are unpleasant and abiding. The explanation I offer is that resentment is unpleasant to make sure that it will be put into execution, so giving relief by gratification." "I have sought to prove that the code of enmity is a necessary part of the machinery of evolution. He who feels generous towards his enemy, and more especially if he feels forgiveness towards him, has in reality abandoned the code of enmity and so has given up his place in the turmoil of evolutionary competition. Hence the benign feeling of perfect peace that descends on him." Sir Arthur Keith, ‘A new Theory of Human Evolution‘ 1948 "Another mark of race possessed by the Jews must be mentioned. Their conduct is regulated by a ‘dual code‘; their conduct towards their fellows is based on one code (amity), and that towards all who are outside their circle on another (enmity). The use of the dual code , as we have seen, is a mark of an evolving race. My deliberate opinion is that racial characters are more strongly developed in the Jews than in any other race." Sir Arthur Keith, ‘A new Theory of Human Evolution‘ 1948 "The German Fuhrer, as I have consistently maintained, is an evolutionist; he has consciously sought to make the practice of Germany conform to the theory of evolution. He has failed, not because of the theory of evolution, but because he has made three fatal blunders in its application." Sir Arthur Keith, 'Evolution and Ethics', Putnam, New York, 1947, p. 230.

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• Keith, A. Anatomy in Scotland during the lifetime of Sir John Struthers (1823-1899). Edin. Med. J. 1912; 8: 7-33.

• Journal of Anatomy - Archive
• Sir Arthur Keith Biography - Who Named It?
• A New Theory of Human Evolution (full text at reactor-core.org)
• Evolution and Ethics (full text at reactor-core.org)
• Evolution and Ethics (full text at designeduniverse.com)

Academic offices
Preceded by Earl of Birkenhead	Rector of the University of Aberdeen 1930–1933	Succeeded by Walter Elliot