The chapters in this book mainly come from Huxley's much larger "Science and the Christian Tradition". If you can get a hold of this book I highly recommend reading it; it takes the reader much farther than "Agnosticism and Christianity". If you cannot find the larger, then read this book. Huxley very matter of factly lays out why the bible cannot be taken as an authoritative source on its own.

The topic of Agnosticism consumes a relatively minor part of this book. It is interesting to read Huxley's exposition on Darwin's theory of evolution and how he makes the case for why it is more plausible than any other theory. While some of what he says would require modification in light of modern evolutionary thought, most of his arguments (using data from anthropology, archaeology, biology, embryology, genetics, geology, etc.) are still valid. Other essays include discussions on epistemology especially with regard to supernaturalism and claims of miracles. Only in the last several pages does Huxley elaborate on the origin and meaning of Agnosticism. In fact, he seems almost reluctant to descend into the discussion. He indulges the reader nevertheless and does a stupendous job of stating the case. A pleasant read on a rainy day.

This fascinating and important biography of T.H.Huxley shows almost another Huxley from the one we associate with the Darwinian tradition. Huxley is an important figure, for in many ways he saw more clearly than Darwin, and current biology is catching up with him. The author begins by noting that 'while Huxley enthusiastically accepted the idea of descent with modification, he was critical of the two central components of Darwin's theory: gradualism and natural selection'. As the author notes, Huxley warned Darwin on the eve of publication that he had burdened his theory unnecessarily with the dictum, natura non facit saltum. This eye opening account reveals a Huxley who could step from a time machine into the contemporary debates on evolution, as the issues that were clearly in the background to Darwin's public triumph resurface with renewed force. Indeed, we discover that Huxley was close also to the developmental tradition with his interest in morphology and considerations of type.

It is a strange testimony to the telescoped pictures we have as non-specialists dependent on hurried summaries that this alternate side of Huxley should have remained unclear throughout the whole Darwin debate. And it is a reminder that the debate is one of selective emphasis of issues that were present from the beginning and never enter the mythical accounts of the Wilberforce debate. This biography, from Prometheus books no less, seems a bellwether for a paradigm in transition. Must reading.

Cf. also Adrian Desmond's Huxley, for a fuller picture of the nineteenth century background of culture and ideology.

Sherrie L. Lyons' Thomas Henry Huxley provides an excellent history of the English biologist who was the foremost defender of Darwin's theory of evolution. His scientific background and contributions are revealed in an excellent survey.

This is " Huxley's Essays on Hume and Berkeley," spoken about by Aleister Crowley in " Liber OS ABYSMI vel DAATH " -- a short paper which talks of a method to end the reason for the purpose of its replacement by higher, ultimately higher, faculties. This is an excellent treatise reviewing Hume and Berkeley in an exceedingly subtle manner. Huxley's literary style is utterly fantastic. A rare classic to come by.

T.H. Huxley's Collected Essays speaks to the what, where, when and how of one of the nineteenth centuries brightest minds. Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley speaks to the why. In so doing, this collected work introduces the reader to the motivations, the successes and failures in Huxley's personal and professional life. From the philosophical insights gleaned from the death of his son, to his motivation for coining agnosticism and his journey as Darwin's Bulldog and most imminent defender, this work is a must have for the scientist, philosopher or historian interested in learning and appreciating the trials and tribulations of one of the nineteenth centuries most intellectually honest and gifted intellects.

Thomas Huxley deserves better than this meandering, plodding tome. What should have been a facinating biography is lost in the obtuse style the author uses. On the plus side--there are some very good passages and pockets of wonderful information, and the bibliography is amazingly complete. On the minus side--the shining bits are so deeply hidden in the depths of the authors quagmire style you may need a machete to find them. I also agree with some earlier posts that a thematic approach would be preferrable to a strictly chronological narrative.

Rarely have I encountered such an awkward and opaque writing style. Desmond uses the sampling techniques of hip-hop, producing sentences by stringing together various quotes and quote fragments. The result manifests neither rhythm nor flow as the reader must laboriously decode even the shortest sentences. The overall result is that the book which although it has fair to good factual and analytical content has a fragmentary feel about it and is in general a chore to read.

This is one of the best bios of Huxley ever written (cf. also the more theoretical work of Shellie Lyons) and seems a natural companion to Moore & Desmond's work, Darwin: The Tormented Evolutionist.
The new style of Darwin studies takes the legacy of such as John Greene and others and zeroes in on the social context of the emergence of the theory as ideologically charged.
In Huxley's case one sees the generational change breaking the Anglican monopoly of the Paley-ites, but in the process creating a new establishment in the conservative revolution of Darwin's theory.
What is remarkable is that Darwin's bulldog had an initial clarity that drove him to defend Darwin on evolution, but demur on natural selection. How ironic. Le plus ca change!
It is hard to impossible to take theories of evolution in complete seriousness as pure science when we see the almost outrageous social darwinist cast to the whole operation. Huxley, to his credit, saw things differently toward the end in his final classic Evolution and Ethics. Would that the generations springing from his first great defense of the theory could come to his final regrets. Nice work.