Thomas Henry Huxley

"English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895) has long been known as the foremost defender of Darwin's theory of evolution, which he supported on numerous occasions, both public and private."--Jacket. "In this investigation of Huxley's motivations in science, author Sherrie L. Lyons shows him to be, first and foremost, an advocate of scientific reasoning, his commitment to which resulted in Huxley voicing public skepticism regarding two basic tenets of Darwin's theory: natural selection and gradualism. His criticism of Darwin's view - far from what critics of evolution imagine - led to a strengthening of evolutionary theory, rather than a weakening of it. Huxley's dedication to scientific method and critical assessment of evidence spurred him to assist in confirming the evolutionary hypothesis."--Jacket.