"You can't make a monkey out of us": Galen and genetics versus Darwin

The views on the biological relationship between human and ape are polarized. One end is summarized by the ax iom that "mon is the third chimpanzee", a thesis put fo rward in an indirect way initially by Charles Darw in in the 19 th century.The o ther is a very modern concept that although similar, the human and ape genomes are distinctly different. We have compared these t w o views on the subject w i t h the stance of the ancient medical w r i t e r Galen.There is a striking resemblance between cur ren t and ancient opin ion on three key issues. Firstly, on the fact that man and apes are similar but no t identical. Secondly, on the influence of such debates on fields much w ider than biology.And finally, on the comparat ive usefulness of apes as a subst i tute fo r human anatomy and physiology studies. Resume Les points de vue concernant les liens biologiques existants entre etre humain et singe sont polarises selon une seule direct ion. A I 'extreme, on pour ra i t resumer ce po in t de vue par I'axiome selon lequel « I'homme est le troisieme chimpanze ». Cet te these fut indi rectement soutenue par Charles Darw in, au I9eme siecle. L'autre point de vue est un concept t res moderne soutenant la simil i tude mais non I ' identite entre les genomes de I 'homme et du singe. Nous avons compare ces deux points de vue sur le sujet en ment ionnant celui du medecin ecrivain Galien, dans I 'Antiquite. II existe une ressemblance frappante entre I'opinion courante et celle d 'Ant iqui te sur ces t ro is questions clefs. L