Micho P.

Diez LLB-1 M11 Philosophy of Law

A Reaction Paper to the Class Presentation of the Movie Entitled, “Inherit the Wind”

Matthew Harrison Brady: Remember the wisdom of Solomon in the book of Proverbs. “He that
troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.” Thus, the prosecutor’s famous line quoted during a
religious gathering held day after that controversial trial started. That time, Brady stopped the town’s
minister in condemning the teacher, Mr. Betram Cates, for teaching the Theory of Evolution to his
students. The town’s law prohibits public school teachers from denying the Biblical account of mankind’s
origin.
The movie is a showcase of debate in court over creationism versus evolution. While the
prosecution held firm that a law prohibiting the teaching of evolution was passed and should be observed
by every town’s people, his further argument related the law on morality, righteousness and common
belief that God is the cause of existence to everything and therefore any acts discontenting to it should
be punished and corrected.
In contrary, the Défense council represented by Henry Drummond argued on the right of each
person to think and that the state prohibiting the acts of Mr. Cates in teaching evolution implicates
prohibition of democracy as well. He defended the teacher’s freedom to think and express scientific ideas.
He questioned the prosecution or even the court’s rule of not accepting his witnesses being men of science
to stand for litigation before the court. The result came up to the idea of challenging the prosecution by
making the prosecution lawyer, Brady himself, a witness to stand as a man in authority of explaining and
proving the contents of the bible reasonable enough to be the basis of Mr. Cates’ prosecution.
Due to the existence of such law and the prohibition made against Cates was valid in that state,
the jury decided the teacher guilty as charged. However, the imposed penalty declared by the judge was
pertained reasonable enough for the damages caused. The amount of $100 as penalty was unexpected
by the prosecution and that made them felt defeated, despite the guilt charged to the teacher. The result
cause a tragic death of Mr. Brady. Mr Drummond who was still a friend though to his opposing council felt
deeply saddened.
The movie is a very good source of significant philosophies in law, being given life by the
compelling characters of the two lawyers on both sides of the courtroom. The litigation instituted statutes
and beliefs to be carefully associated with relevant doctrines, philosophies, logic and necessities in the
society and individuals. The wonderful aspect of Inherit the Wind is that the characters are not mere
symbols representing opposing viewpoints. They are very complex, deeply human characters, each with
their own strengths and flaws.
As to my personal remark, movies like these must be brought back to the modern times. Young
aspiring lawyers-to-be can learn a lot of logic and wisdom from the great lawyers of the past. Thus the
case, as that in the movie is a good source of milestone jurisprudence for the present and the future.
Thank you very much Attorney Empaces for showing to us this great movie – Inherit the Wind.