Il posto dell'uomo nella natura

by Thomas Henry Huxley, Giacomo Giacobini (Editor), Pietro Marchi (Translator)

La pubblicazione del Systema Naturae di Carlo Linneo segna, nel 1735, il primo inserimento formale dell'uomo all'interno di un preciso ordinamento zoologico. Nel corso dell'Ottocento le diverse formulazioni di teorie evolutive trasformeranno questo problema di somiglianza in un problema di parentela. Nel contempo, l'antropologia - intesa come storia naturale dell'uomo - si sviluppa come disciplina autonoma. Nel 1863 Thomas Henry Huxley, pubblicando "Il posto dell'uomo nella natura", indica le due vie che da allora saranno seguite dalla ricerca tesa a chiarire la posizione zoologica e filogenetica dell'uomo: lo studio comparativo con gli animali ad esso più affini, cioè le scimmie antropomorfe, e la ricerca di resti fossili dei suoi antenati.

Genres: Science, Biology, Evolution, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Anthropology, Nature

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1863

About the author

Thomas Henry Huxley PC FRS HonFRSE FLS was an English biologist and anthropologist specialising in comparative anatomy. He has become known as "Darwin's Bulldog" for his advocacy of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

In 1825, Thomas Henry Huxley was born in England. Huxley coined the term "agnostic" (although George Holyoake also claimed that honor). Huxley defined agnosticism as a method, "the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle . . . the axiom that every man should be able to give a reason for the faith that is in him." Huxley elaborated: "In matters of the intellect, follow your reason as far as it will take you, without any other consideration. And negatively, in matters of the intellect do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable" (from his essay "Agnosticism").

Huxley received his medical degree from Charing Cross School of Medicine, becoming a physiologist, and was awarded many other honorary degrees. He spent his youth exploring science, especially zoology and anatomy, lecturing on natural history, and writing for scientific publications. He was president of the Royal Society, and was elected to the London School Board in 1870, where he championed a number of common-sense reforms. Huxley earned the nickname "Darwin's Bulldog" when he debated Darwin's On the Origin of Species with Bishop Samuel Wilberforce in Oxford in 1860. When Wilberforce asked him which side of his family contained the ape, Huxley famously replied that he would prefer to descend from an ape than a human being who used his intellect "for the mere purpose of introducing ridicule into grave scientific discussion." Thereafter, Huxley devoted his time to the defense of science over religion. His essays included "Agnosticism and Christianity" (1889). His three rationalist grandsons were Sir Julian Huxley, a biologist, novelist Aldous Huxley, and Andrew Huxley, co-winner of a 1963 Nobel Prize. Huxley, appropriately, received the Darwin Medal in 1894. D. 1895.

More: http://freethoughtalmanac.com/?p=2093

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_H...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic...

http://www.iep.utm.edu/huxley/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/lib...

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/ev...

Reviews

[Karen Perham-Lippman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually have a International Science Library printing from January 1863. The binding is a little loose, but book is in fairly good condition.

History is so awesome. Especially when it is about science.

[Whitney Borup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew. That's a lot of measurements.

[F S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and educational!

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read that adds to Darwin's theories. For me though, I would love to see science and religion join together and explain how God and Man can both be responsible for why we are here.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readable. The second essay was the most interesting. Huxley has a strong tone to his style, not too disagreeable yet not entirely passive.

[Nasser · Rating 2 out of 5]

صرّح هيكسلي في هذا الكتاب بما لم يقدر داروين على التصريح به في هذا الكتاب بأن الانسان ترقّى وتطوّر من مخلوقات أدنى منه ، شجاعة وإيمان بالنظرية