In what written source did Julian Huxley refer to "the accidental
emergence of purpose in the universe through the evolution of human
consciousness"?

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 30 Jun 2005 15:37 PDT

It might help if we knew where (and approximately when) you
encountered this quote. Any additional information would be welcome.
Sometimes a small clue can help us to track down the source of a
quotation.

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Clarification of Question by susantonetta-ga on 30 Jun 2005 17:07 PDT

I believe it was cited in the book A Mind So Rare by Merlin Donald,
but I don't have the book any longer, nor do I have access to it.

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 30 Jun 2005 19:45 PDT

The quote does not appear in "A Mind So Rare", though the sentiment does:

"Most traditional theorists still cling to the implicit belief that
purpose emerged only during human evolution and that it appeared
suddenly in a universe otherwise completely lacking in it...   Julian
Huxley...held firmly to this belief.  Perhaps he had no alternative. 
He accepted evolutionary determinism and at the same time asserted our
capacity for purpose..."


Are you certain of the wording of the quote?

Can you think of another possible source?


pafalafa-ga

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Clarification of Question by susantonetta-ga on 30 Jun 2005 20:21 PDT

the wording was quoted as exact, but it may not have been in the
Merlin Donald book . . . darn!

Julian Huxley (1926) "Essays of a biologist" London, Chatto and Windus