论文部分内容阅读
一八五七年达尔文《物种起源》问世,赫胥黎以巨大的热情投入了保卫这一学说的战斗。他骄傲地宣称:“我是达尔文的斗犬”,“正在磨利我的爪牙,以备来保卫这一高贵的著作”。他还明确表示,为了自然选择的原理,“我准备接受火刑,如果必须的话”。若干年间,在多次短兵相接的激烈论战中,他战胜了顽固的宗教势力和其他反动力量对进化论的疯狂围攻,使达尔文学说由异端邪说变为风靡于世的理论。
In 1857, when Darwin’s Origin of Species came into being, Huxley devoted great enthusiasm to fighting this doctrine. He proudly declared: “I am Darwin’s bulldog,” and “I am grinding my minions in preparation for defending this noble work.” He also made it clear that for the principle of natural selection, “I am prepared to accept a stake, if necessary.” For several years, in numerous fierce battles with manpower, he defeated the stalwart siege of evolution by stubborn religious forces and other reactionary forces, and transformed Darwin’s theory from heresy to the theory of prevalence.