Thomas Huxley Quotes - Page 9

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As a natural process, of the same character as the development of a tree from its seed, or of a fowl from its egg, evolution excludes creation and all other kinds of supernatural intervention.

Thomas Huxley

Character, Eggs, Tree

Thomas Henry Huxley (1997). “The Major Prose of Thomas Henry Huxley”, p.287, University of Georgia Press

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Material advancement has its share in moral and intellectual progress. Becky Sharp's acute remark that it is not difficult to be virtuous on ten thousand a year has its applications to nations; and it is futile to expect a hungry and squalid population to be anything but violent and gross.

Thomas Huxley

Years, Intellectual, Progress

Thomas Henry Huxley (1882). “Science and Culture: And Other Essays”

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It may be well to remember that the highest level of moral aspiration recorded in history was reached by a few ancient Jews--Micah, Isaiah, and the rest--who took no count whatever of what might not happen to them after death. It is not obvious to me why the same point should not by and by be reached by the Gentiles.

Thomas Huxley

Afterlife, Levels, May

Thomas Henry Huxley, Henrietta A. Huxley (1908). “Aphorisms and reflections”

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In truth, the laboratory is the forecourt of the temple of philosophy, and whoso has not offered sacrifices and undergone purification there has little chance of admission into the sanctuary.

Thomas Huxley

Philosophy, Sacrifice, Temples

Thomas Henry Huxley, Cyril Bibby (1971). “T. H. Huxley on Education”, p.166, Cambridge University Press

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You may read any quantity of books, and you may almost as ignorant as you were at starting, if you don't have, at the back of yourminds, the change for words in definite images which can only be acquired through the operation of your observing faculties on the phenomena of nature.

Thomas Huxley

Book, Ignorant, May

Thomas Henry Huxley (1877). “American Addresses: With a Lecture on the Study of Biology”, p.153

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Mix salt and sand, and it shall puzzle the wisest of men, with his mere natural appliances, to separate all the grains of sand from all the grains of salt; but a shower of rain will effect the same object in ten minutes.

Thomas Huxley

Nature, Rain, Science

Thomas Henry Huxley (1870). “Lay Sermons, Addresses, and Reviews”, p.296, Adam, Stevenson

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Science ... warns me to be careful how I adopt a view which jumps with my preconceptions, and to require stronger evidence for such belief than for one to which I was previously hostile. My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonize with my aspirations.

Thomas Huxley

Science, Views, Atheism

Thomas Henry Huxley (1908). “Life and Letters of Thomas Huxley, by His Son, Leonard Huxley”

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The mathematician starts with a few propositions, the proof of which is so obvious that they are called self-evident, and the rest of his work consists of subtle deductions from them. The teaching of languages, at any rate as ordinarily practiced, is of the same general nature authority and tradition furnish the data, and the mental operations are deductive.

Thomas Huxley

Nature, Work, Teaching

Thomas Henry Huxley (1872). “Lay Sermons, Addresses, and Reviews”, p.66

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The occurrence of successive forms of life upon our globe is an historical fact, which cannot be disputed; and the relation of these successive forms, as stages of evolution of the same type, is established in various cases.

Thomas Huxley

Historical, Facts, Evolution

Thomas Henry Huxley (2011). “Collected Essays”, p.102, Cambridge University Press

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Surely it must be plain that an ingenious man could speculate without end on both sides, and find analogies for all his dreams. Nor does it help me to tell me that the aspirations of mankind

Thomas Huxley

Dream, Science, Men

Thomas Henry Huxley (1997). “The Major Prose of Thomas Henry Huxley”, p.358, University of Georgia Press

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My reflection, when I first made myself master of the central idea of the 'Origin', was, 'How extremely stupid not to have thought of that!'

Thomas Huxley

Stupid, Science, Reflection

"On the Reception of the 'Origin of Species' " (1888)

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Some experience of popular lecturing had convinced me that the necessity of making things plain to uninstructed people, was one of the very best means of clearing up the obscure corners in one's own mind.

Thomas Huxley

Mean, Science, People

'Man's Place in Nature' (1894 ed.) preface

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The dogma of the infallibility of the Bible is no more self-evident than is that of the infallibility of the popes.

Thomas Huxley

Bible, Self, Dogma

Thomas Henry Huxley (2012). “Collected Essays, Volume V Science and Christian Tradition: Essays”, p.40, tredition

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Only one absolute certainty is possible to man, namely that at any given moment the feeling which he has exists.

Thomas Huxley

Men, Feelings, Absolute Certainty

Thomas Henry Huxley, Henrietta A. Huxley (1908). “Aphorisms and reflections”

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The science, the art, the jurisprudence, the chief political and social theories, of the modern world have grown out of Greece and Rome-not by favour of, but in the teeth of, the fundamental teachings of early Christianity, to which science, art, and any serious occupation with the things of this world were alike despicable.

Thomas Huxley

Art, Teaching, Rome

Thomas Henry Huxley (2011). “Collected Essays”, p.315, Cambridge University Press

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As I have already urged, the practice of that which is ethically best - what we call goodness or virtue - involves a course of conduct which, in all respects, is opposed to that which leads to success in the cosmic struggle for existence. In place of ruthless selfassertion it demands self-restraint; in place of thrusting aside, or treading down, all competitors, it requires that the individual shall not merely respect , but shall help his fellows. It repudiates the gladiatorial theory of existence. Laws and moral precepts are directed to the end of curbing the cosmic process.

Thomas Huxley

Struggle, Science, Self

"Evolution And Ethics".

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No delusion is greater than the notion that method and industry can make up for lack of mother-wit, either in science or in practical life.

Thomas Huxley

Life, Mother, Method

Thomas Henry Huxley (1908). “Aphorisms and Reflections from the Works of Thomas Henry Huxley”, p.5, Library of Alexandria

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I doubt the fact, to begin with, but if it be so even, what is this but in grand words asking me to believe a thing because I like it.

Thomas Huxley

Believe, Doubt, Atheism

Thomas Henry Huxley (1997). “The Major Prose of Thomas Henry Huxley”, p.358, University of Georgia Press

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Better live a crossing-sweeper than die and be made to talk twaddle by a "medium" hired at a guinea a seance.

Thomas Huxley

Atheism, Guinea, Made

Thomas Henry Huxley (1903). “Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley”

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Science reckons many prophets, but there is not even a promise of a Messiah.

Thomas Huxley

Promise, Prophet, Messiah

Thomas Henry Huxley, Henrietta A. Huxley (1908). “Aphorisms and reflections”

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The facts of variability, of the struggle for existence, of adaptation to conditions, were notorious enough; but none of us had suspected that the road to the heart of the species problem lay through them, until Darwin and Wallace dispelled the darkness.

Thomas Huxley

Struggle, Heart, Darkness

Leonard Huxley, Thomas Henry Huxley (2011). “Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley”, p.246, Cambridge University Press

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The scientific imagination always restrains itself within the limits of probability.

Thomas Huxley

Imagination, Limits, Probability

Thomas Henry Huxley (2012). “Collected Essays, Volume V Science and Christian Tradition: Essays”, p.138, tredition

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... our "Physick" and "Anatomy" have embraced such infinite varieties of being, have laid open such new worlds in time and space, have grappled, not unsuccessfully, with such complex problems, that the eyes of Vesalius and of Harvey might be dazzled by the sight of the tree that has grown out of their grain of mustard seed.

Thomas Huxley

Eye, Science, Sight

Thomas Henry Huxley (1910). “Huxley's Autobiography and Selected Essays from Lay Sermons”

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That which lies before the human race is a constant struggle to maintain and improve, in opposition to State of Nature, the State of Art of an organized polity; in which, and by which, man may develop a worthy civilization

Thomas Huxley

Art, Nature, Lying

Thomas Henry Huxley (1997). “The Major Prose of Thomas Henry Huxley”, p.307, University of Georgia Press

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Unity of plan everywhere lies hidden under the mask: of diversity of structure-the complex is everywhere evolved out of the simple.

Thomas Huxley

Lying, Science, Simple

Thomas Henry Huxley (1872). “Lay Sermons, Addresses, and Reviews”, p.101

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Born: May 4, 1825
Died: June 29, 1895
Occupation: Biologist
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