Selections from Previous Works With Remarks on Romanes' Mental Evolution in Animals, and a Psalm of Montreal

"Selections from Previous Works" by Samuel Butler is a compilation of essays and writings from the late 1800s that include thoughts on science, morality, and selections from his previous work "Erewhon". The collection appears to question common beliefs about social rules, ethics, and how human behavior relates to health. Butler starts the book with a preface discussing his criticism of Mr. G. J. Romanes' ideas on instinct and inherited memory and also shows his disappointment with scientific inaccuracies. The narrative then moves to the interesting habits of the imaginary society of Erewhon, such as its opposite views on morality concerning illness and crime, which makes people think about their ideas of justice and social norms. This gets readers ready for an in-depth look at social values, making the text useful for those interested in philosophical questions and social criticism.