“The publication of the Darwin and Wallace papers in 1858, and still more that of the 'Origin' in 1859, had the effect upon them of the flash of light, which to a man who has lost himself in a dark night, suddenly reveals a road which, whether it takes him straight home or not, certainly goes his way. That which we were looking for, and could not find, was a hypothesis respecting the origin of known organic forms, which assumed the operation of no causes but such as could be proved to be actually at work. We wanted, not to pin our faith to that or any other speculation, but to get hold of clear and definite conceptions which could be brought face to face with facts and have their validity tested. The 'Origin' provided us with the working hypothesis we sought.” FactsScienceEvolutionBiologyHypothesisValidityOrigin Of SpeciesDarwinEffectCharles DarwinWallaceAlfred Russel WallaceAlfred Wallace Book:On the Reception of the 'Origin of Species' Source: On the Reception of the 'Origin of Species'
“Very few, even among those who have taken the keenest interest in the progress of the revolution in natural knowledge set afoot by the publication of the 'Origin of Species'; and who have watched, not without astonishment, the rapid and complete change which has been effected both inside and outside the boundaries of the scientific world in the attitude of men's minds towards the doctrines which are expounded in that great work, can have been prepared for the extraordinary manifestation of affectionate regard for the man, and of profound reverence for the philosopher, which followed the announcement, on Thursday last, of the death of Mr Darwin.” ScienceInterestKnowledgeProgressRegardAffectionPhilosopherManifestationReverenceAstonishmentObituaryOrigin Of SpeciesScientificDarwinCharles DarwinDoctrines Book:Collected Essays of Thomas Henry Huxley Source: Collected Essays of Thomas Henry Huxley
“The known is finite, the unknown infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land, to add something to the extent and the solidity of our possessions. And even a cursory glance at the history of the biological sciences during the last quarter of a century is sufficient to justify the assertion, that the most potent instrument for the extension of the realm of natural knowledge which has come into men's hands, since the publication of Newton's ‘Principia’, is Darwin's ‘Origin of Species.” ScienceGoalBusinessKnowledgeHistoryOceanIntellectualInfiniteMetaphorBiologyJustificationNewtonUnknownPossessionsOrigin Of SpeciesDarwinAnalogySolidityCharles DarwinIsaac NewtonPrincipiaIllimitableInexplicability Author:Thomas Henry Huxley
“That which struck the present writer most forcibly on his first perusal of the 'Origin of Species' was the conviction that Teleology, as commonly understood, had received its deathblow at Mr. Darwin's hands. For the teleological argument runs thus: an organ or organism (A) is precisely fitted to perform a function or purpose (B); therefore it was specially constructed to perform that function.” PurposeDesignFunctionConvictionOrigin Of SpeciesDarwinCharles DarwinTeleologyDeathblowTeleological Argument Book:Criticism on "The Origin of Species" Source: Criticism on "The Origin of Species"