赫胥黎

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Huxley, T(homas) H(enry)

英国生物学家。教员之子,取得医学学位。1846~1850年担任一考察队的随队外科医去南太平洋,对海洋生物作了大量研究。回国後在伦敦皇家矿工学校任教多年(1854~1885)。1850年代发表许多关於动物个性、某些软体动物、古生物学方法、科学与科学教育方法和原理、神经的结构和功能以及脊椎动物颅骨等论文,由此建立起声誉。他是达尔文最早、也是最有力的支持者,1860年与韦尔伯佛思(S. Wiberforce)主教的辩论广受瞩目。1860年代赫胥黎在古生物学和分类学方面做了很有价值的研究,尤其是对鸟的分类。後来转向神学,据说「不可知论」一词是他独创以表达自己的观点。在他那一代人中,很少有科学家能像他那样对如此宽广的科学发展领域产生影响,也很少有人能像他那样有效地推动思想和实践的总体运动。

1825~1895年

Huxley, T(homas) H(enry)

British biologist. The son of a schoolmaster, he earned a medical degree. After working as a surgeon on a surveying expedition in the South Pacific (1846-50), during which he carried out extensive studies of marine organisms, he taught for many years at the Royal School of Mines in London (1854-85). In the 1850s he established his reputation with his important papers on animal individuality, certain mollusks, the methods of paleontology, the methods and principles of science and science education, the structure and functions of nerves, and the vertebrate skull. He was one of the earliest and strongest supporters of Darwinism; his 1860 debate with Bishop Samuel Wilberforce gained widespread attention. In the 1860s Huxley did valuable work in paleontology and classification, especially classification of birds. Later in life he turned to theology; he is said to have coined the word agnostic to describe his views. Few scientists have been as influential over such a wide field of scientific development and as effective in the total movement of thought and action within his own generation,.