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The Method by Which the Causes of the Present and Past Conditions of Organic Nature Are to Be Discovered; the Origination of Living Beings / Lecture III. (of VI.), "Lectures to Working Men", at the Museum of Practical Geology, 1863, on Darwin's Work: "Origin of Species" cover

The Method by Which the Causes of the Present and Past Conditions of Organic Nature Are to Be Discovered; the Origination of Living Beings / Lecture III. (of VI.), "Lectures to Working Men", at the Museum of Practical Geology, 1863, on Darwin's Work: "Origin of Species"

The speaker argues that the origin and development of living beings belong to normal scientific investigation and rejects the view that vital phenomena are exempt from natural explanation. He explains that the same inductive method—careful observation, classification, and comparison—applies to morphology, development, and distribution of organisms. He addresses both sincere and ill-intentioned objections, rebukes misused appeals to Baconian philosophy, and emphasizes that scientific reasoning extends ordinary mental processes and rests on empirical facts. The overall claim is that inquiry into the causes of organic phenomena should proceed without arbitrary limits.

By Thomas Henry Huxley
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History - Modern (1750+)Philosophy & EthicsScience - Biology

About This Book

The speaker argues that the origin and development of living beings belong to normal scientific investigation and rejects the view that vital phenomena are exempt from natural explanation. He explains that the same inductive method—careful observation, classification, and comparison—applies to morphology, development, and distribution of organisms. He addresses both sincere and ill-intentioned objections, rebukes misused appeals to Baconian philosophy, and emphasizes that scientific reasoning extends ordinary mental processes and rests on empirical facts. The overall claim is that inquiry into the causes of organic phenomena should proceed without arbitrary limits.

About the Author

Huxley, Thomas Henry portrait

Thomas Henry Huxley

Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895) was an English biologist and a prominent advocate of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Often referred to as 'Darwin's Bulldog' for his defense of evolutionary science, Huxley made significant contributions to the fields of zoology and paleontology. His works, such as "A Critical Examination of the Position of Mr. Darwin's Work" and "American Addresses, with a Lecture on the Study of Biology," reflect his commitment to scientific inquiry and education. Huxley's writings often explored the relationship between science and religion, and he was instrumental in promoting the importance of scientific literacy in society.

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A Critical Examination of the Position of Mr. Darwin's Work, "On the Origin of Species," in Relation to the Complete Theory of the Causes of the Phenomena of Organic Nature / Lecture VI. (of VI.), "Lectures to Working Men", at the Museum of Practical Geology, 1863, on Darwin's Work: "Origin of Species" cover A Critical Examination of the Position of Mr. Darwin's Work, "On the Origin of Species," in Relation to the Complete Theory of the Causes of the Phenomena of Organic Nature / Lecture VI. (of VI.), "Lectures to Working Men", at the Museum of Practical Geology, 1863, on Darwin's Work: "Origin of Species" by Thomas Henry Huxley American Addresses, with a Lecture on the Study of Biology cover American Addresses, with a Lecture on the Study of Biology by Thomas Henry Huxley Aphorisms and Reflections from the works of T. H. Huxley cover Aphorisms and Reflections from the works of T. H. Huxley by Thomas Henry Huxley Aphorisms and Reflections from the Works of T. H. Huxley cover Aphorisms and Reflections from the Works of T. H. Huxley by Thomas Henry Huxley Autobiography and Selected Essays cover Autobiography and Selected Essays by Thomas Henry Huxley Collected Essays, Volume V / Science and Christian Tradition: Essays cover Collected Essays, Volume V / Science and Christian Tradition: Essays by Thomas Henry Huxley

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