Asa Gray
Asa Gray
Asa Grayis considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His Darwiniana was also considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually exclusive...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth18 November 1810
CountryUnited States of America
science views elements
This view, as a rounded whole and in all its essential elements, has very recently disappeared from science. It died a royal death with Agassiz.
general great likely nearly
Why is it not just as likely that there were as many small general nearly at first as now, and as great a disproportion in the number of their species?
basis held root scientific strike whom
There is a class, moreover, by whom all these scientific theories, and more are held as ascertained facts, and as the basis of philosophical inferences which strike at the root of theistic beliefs.
felt hold people sure understood
I know some people who never have any difficulties to speak of. The moment I understood your premisses, I felt sure you had a real foundation to hold on.
matter soon
But it was soon ascertained that this quaternary matter of the animal body was chemically the same in the plant, was elaborated there, and only appropriated by the animal.
aspired five further occurred proceed proper scientific since subject time within
I proceed with the proper subject of this discourse; namely, the further changes in scientific belief, which have occurred within my own recollection, even since the time when I first aspired to authorship, now forty- five years ago.
echo granted hear nor pulpit wish
I take it for granted that you do not wish to hear an echo from the pulpit nor from the theological class-room.
assume continuous family fossil larger occupied quite wide
Is it philosophical, is it quite allowable, to assume without evidence from fossil plants that the family or any of the genera was once larger and wide spread? and occupied a continuous area?
animal change particular points vegetable view
Upon no one of these particular points has there been a completer change of view than upon the distinctness of the animal and vegetable kingdoms.
wonder moments ifs
Yes, it is true that there are times when you do wonder if things are worth it but usually those moments pass as soon as they have come.
faith order bases
Faith in order, which is the basis of science, cannot reasonably be separated from faith in an Ordainer, which is the basis of religion.
two different kingdoms
The former conviction that these two kingdoms were wholly different in structure, in function, and in kind of life, was not seriously disturbed by the difficulties which the naturalist encountered when he undertook to define them.
animal plant form
It was always understood that plants and animals, though completely contrasted in their higher representatives, approached each other very closely in their lower and simpler forms. But they were believed not to blend.
animal vegetables lines
In short, the animal and vegetable lines, diverging widely above, join below in a loop.