Science and Culture, and Other Essays

"Science and Culture, and Other Essays" by Thomas Henry Huxley is a compilation of essays, lectures, and speeches from the late 1800s that considers the relationship between scientific study and learning, making the case that science is a vital component of real intellectual growth. Huxley puts forward that training in science is needed for individual and community progress, questioning old ideas about the role of classical writings. He starts by talking about the history of learning and the place of science in it, pointing out the disagreements between those who favored traditional learning and those who wanted more science, with an emphasis on science's real-world uses and its importance for thinking. He argues against only studying classical subjects, stating that knowing science is key to solving today's problems and getting a full education, disagreeing with those mostly focused on business as well as scholars who thought classical education was better, pushing for a fairer, more complete way to learn.