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A Critical Examination of 〃On The Origin of Species〃
by Thomas H。 Huxley
IN the preceding five lectures I have endeavoured to give you an account
of those facts； and of those reasonings from facts； which form the data
upon which all theories regarding the causes of the phenomena of
organic nature must be based。 And； although I have had frequent
occasion to quote Mr。 Darwinas all persons hereafter； in speaking upon
these subjects； will have occasion to quote his famous book on the
〃Origin of Species；〃you must yet remember that； wherever I have
quoted him； it has not been upon theoretical points； or for statements
in any way connected with his particular speculations； but on matters
of fact； brought forward by himself； or collected by himself； and which
appear incidentally in his book。 If a man 'will' make a book；
professing to discuss a single question； an encyclopaedia； I cannot help
it。
Now； having had an opportunity of considering in this sort of way the
different statements bearing upon all theories whatsoever； I have to
lay before you； as fairly as I can； what is Mr。 Darwin's view of the
matter and what position his theories hold； when judged by the
principles which I have previously laid down； as deciding our judgments
upon all theories and hypotheses。
I have already stated to you that the inquiry respecting the causes of
the phenomena of organic nature resolves itself into two problemsthe
first being the question of the origination of living or organic
beings； and the second being the totally distinct problem of the
modification and perpetuation of organic beings when they have already
come into existence。 The first question Mr。 Darwin does not touch； he
does not deal with it at all； but he saysgiven the origin of organic
mattersupposing its creation to have already taken place； my object is
to show in consequence of what laws and what demonstrable properties of
organic matter； and of its environments； such states of organic nature
as those with which we are acquainted must have come about。 This； you
will observe； is a perfectly legitimate proposition； every person has a
right to define the limits of the inquiry which he sets before himself；
and yet it is a most singular thing that in all the multifarious； and；
not unfrequently； ignorant attacks which have been made upon the
'Origin of Species'； there is nothing which has been more speciously
criticised than this particular limitation。 If people have nothing else
to urge against the book； they say〃Well； after all； you see； Mr。
Darwin's explanation of the 'Origin of Species' is not good for much；
because； in the long run； he admits that he does not know how organic
matter began to exist。 But if you admit any special creation for the
first particle of organic matter you may just as well admit it for all
the rest； five hundred or five thousand distinct creations are just as
intelligible； and just as little difficult to understand； as one。〃 The
answer to these cavils is two…fold。 In the first place； all human
inquiry must stop somewhere； all our knowledge and all our
investigation cannot take us beyond the limits set by the finite and
restricted character of our faculties； or destroy the endless unknown；
which accompanies； like its shadow； the endless procession of
phenomena。 So far as I can venture to offer an opinion on such a
matter； the purpose of our being in existence； the highest object that
human beings can set before themselves； is not the pursuit of any such
chimera as the annihilation of the unknown； but it is simply the
unwearied endeavour to remove its boundaries a little further from our
little sphere of action。
I wonder if any historian would for a moment admit the objection； that
it is preposterous to trouble ourselves about the history of the Roman
Empire； because we do not know anything positive about the origin and
first building of the city of Rome！ Would it be a fair objection to
urge； respecting the sublime discoveries of a Newton； or a Kepler； those
great philosophers； whose discoveries have been of the profoundest
benefit and service to all men；to say to them〃After all that you
have told us as to how the planets revolve； and how they are maintained
in their orbits； you cannot tell us what is the cause of the origin of
the sun； moon； and stars。 So what is the use of what you have done？〃
Yet these objections would not be one whit more preposterous than the
objections which have been made to the 'Origin of Species。' Mr。 Darwin；
then； had a perfect right to limit his inquiry as he pleased； and the
only question for usthe inquiry being so limitedis to ascertain
whether the method of his inquiry is sound or unsound； whether he has
obeyed the canons which must guide and govern all investigation； or
whether he has broken them； and it was because our inquiry this evening
is essentially limited to that question； that I spent a good deal of
time in a former lecture （which； perhaps； some of you thought might
have been better employed）； in endeavouring to illustrate the method
and nature of scientific inquiry in general。 We shall now have to put
in practice the principles that I then laid down。
I stated to you in substance； if not in words； that wherever there are
complex masses of phenomena to be inquired into； whether they be
phenomena of the affairs of daily life； or whether they belong to the
more abstruse and difficult problems laid before the philosopher； our
course of proceeding in unravelling that complex chain of phenomena with
a view to get at its cause； is always the same； in all cases we must
invent an hypothesis； we must place before ourselves some more or less
likely supposition respecting that cause； and then； having assumed an
hypothesis； having supposed cause for the phenomena in question； we must
endeavour； on the one hand； to demonstrate our hypothesis； or； on the
other； to upset and reject it altogether； by testing it in three ways。
We must； in the first place； be prepared to prove that the supposed
causes of the phenomena exist in nature； that they are what the
logicians call 'vera causae'true causes；in the next place； we
should be prepared to show that the assumed causes of the phenomena are
competent to produce such phenomena as those which we wish to explain
by them； and in the last place； we ought to be able to show that no
other known causes are competent to produce those phenomena。 If we can
succeed in satisfying these three conditions we shall have demonstrated
our hypothesis； or rather I ought to say we shall have proved it as far
as certainty is possible for us； for； after all； there is no one of our
surest convictions which may not be upset； or at any rate modified by a
further accession of knowledge。 It was because it satisfied these
conditions that we accepted the hypothesis as to the disappearance of
the tea…pot and spoons in the case I supposed in a previous lecture； we
found that our hypothesis on that subject was tenable and valid； because
the supposed cause existed in nature； because it was competent to
account for the phenomena； and because no other known cause was
competent to account for them； and it is upon similar grounds that any
hypothesis you choose to name is accepted in science as tenable and
valid。
What is Mr。 Darwin's hypothesis？ As I apprehend itfor I have put it
into a shape more convenient for common purposes than I could find
'verbatim' in his bookas I apprehend it； I say； it is； that all the
phenomena of organic nature； past and present； result from； or are
caused by； the inter…action of those properties of organic matter；
which we have called ATAVISM and VARIABILITY； with the CONDITIONS OF
EXISTENCE； or； in other words；given the existence of organic matter；
its tendency to transmit its properties； and its tendency occasionally
to vary； and； lastly； given the conditions of existence by which organic
matter is surroundedthat these put together are the causes of the
Present and of the Past conditions of ORGANIC NATURE。
Such is the hypothesis as I understand it。 Now let us see how it will
stand the various tests which I laid down just now。 In the first
place； do these supposed causes of the phenomena exist in nature？ Is
it the fact that in nature these properties of organic matteratavism
and variabilityand those phenomena which we have called the
conditions of existence；is it true that they exist？ Well； of course；
if they do not exist； all that I have told you in the last three or
four lectures must be incorrect； because I have been attempting to prove
that they do exist； and I take it that there is abundant evidence that
they do exist； so far； therefore； the hypothesis does not break down。
But in the next place comes a much more difficult inquiry：Are the
causes indicated competent to give rise to the phenomena of organic
nature？ I suspect that this is indubitable to a certain extent。 It is
demonstrable； I think； as I have endeavoured to show you； that they are
perfectly competent to give rise to all the phenomena which are
exhibited by RACES in nature。 Furthermore； I believe that they are
quite competent to account for all that we