Thomas Henry Huxley

We have seen how in Hamilton, Mansel, and Spencer the combination of metaphysical realism and a belief in ‘the relativity of knowledge’ leads to agnosticism about ultimate reality—the position that cognition stands defeated before the ‘unconditioned’, or ‘absolute’, or ‘unknowable’. But the thinker most associated with the term ‘agnosticism’—indeed, the one who first came up with the word—was Thomas Henry Huxley. This chapter begins by examining Huxley’s own account of the origins of the term ‘agnosticism’ as well as his relationship with Herbert Spencer. Following a general discussion of his philosophical orientation that takes into account his suspicion of metaphysics, his strict adherence to scientific methodology, and his views about both Hume and Kant, the discussion moves on to consider in more detail his views about religion, causation, the external world, and the mind–brain relationship. The chapter concludes by contrasting Huxley’s views about ethics and evolution with those of Herbert Spencer.