Prof. Carlo Fonseka’s (CF) attack on Malinda Seneviratne in the 13th Amendment debate provoked a response from me because of the highly personal nature of that attack. CF has now delivered a lengthy personal attack on me as well.

I am glad he has drawn attention to the fact that our collegiate acquaintance ceased "about 40 years ago", which has reminded me, since he pegged the time frame, that my inter-departmental dealings at the time were indeed not with CF, but with Prof. K. N. Seneviratne, Head/Dept. of Physiology. As for career/track, my first (and ONLY) choice at University Admission was the Faculty of Science, at a time when the Basic/Pure Sciences as intellectual disciplines were still highly valued. The several other biographic references made regarding me are irrelevant to the issues under discussion.

CF’s barb regarding Desmond Morris of The Naked Ape fame being "an infinitely smarter zoologist than Dr. ML", mirrors my continuing problem with CF in that instead of meeting argument with argument, his comments continue to be personal. The comparison is unscientific and tends towards hyperbole. Aggressive behaviour that resorts to the transparently primitive when challenged is peculiarly human because of the veneer of ‘civilization’ that we prize and pride ourselves in. Bereft of that veneer of civility, we are but educated apes. As for tribalism, it can exist at various levels, both societal and intellectual. Humans are social animals and tribalism of the ‘group’ will always remain integral to it. As the demarcations between some groups merge, others will appear. It is the elitism that goes with groups that I decry. Sadly, genes for ‘big flea, little flea’ stratification seem well entrenched in the human gene pool.

CF cites an example of frugivore-adapted, ‘sweet tooth’ humans and diabetes to support his claim – a bad example that could be argued both for and against the strength or otherwise of an established gene pool. Modern/urban diabetogenic diets that cause insulin resistance are the result of our ‘cultural evolution’ from the rural to urban life styles. Whether urban populations with genetic capability to counter insulin resistance will be selected for and evolve through elimination of the more vulnerable populations, or whether we would have to resort to islet cell implants, stem cell implants or other complicated ‘modern’ medicine’s expensive technological strategies, only time will tell. On the other hand, a reversion to ‘rural’ traditional diets without ‘modern’ processed foods and additives, and an abandonment of some aspects of our modern life styles will tackle the problem less invasively and perhaps with better survival benefits.

As for the phrase, ‘butting into’ – it is perfectly acceptable English idiom and usage, with possible ‘bovine’ innuendos only to any to whom the cap may fit. (see butt Idioms - http://www.yourdictionary.com/butt)