Aldous-Huxley

(1894–1963)•British-Americanwriterandmoralphilosopherandisincertaincirclesregardedasoneofthegreatestvoicesofthetwentiethcentury.AboutHuxleythemanworks:BraveNewWorld;Island;PointCounterPoint;TheDoorsofPerception;ThePerennialPhilosophy•“Godlikeinhisheight,aquilinefeatures,andomnidirectionalintelligence,Huxleywasalivingmyth.”•-----CliveJames•Anenduringopponentofthemoraldecadenceofmodernculture,Huxleysoughtthroughbothfictionandnon-fictionwritingtodenounceconformityandtheorthodoxattitudesofhistime(particularlyofWesternsocieties)aswellastoinstillasenseofconscientiousnessandoutwardresponsibilityinthepublic.•Bestknownforhisnovelsandessays,Huxleyfunctionedasanexaminerandsometimescriticofsocialmores,societalnorms,andideals.Whilehisearlierconcernsmightbecalled“humanist,”ultimately,hebecamequiteinterestedin“spiritual”subjectssuchasparapsychologyandphilosophicalmysticism.(Darwin'sBulldog).HisbrotherJulianHuxleyandhalf-brotherAndrewHuxleyalsobecameoutstandingbiologists.•Huxley’sancestry“broughtdownonhimaweightofintellectualauthorityandamomentumofmoralobligations.”•----GeraldHeard•Asayoungchild,Huxleywasalreadyconsideredamongstadultsandpeersasbeing“different,”showinganunusuallyprofoundawareness,orwhathisbrothercalled“superiority.”•attheageof16,whenhesufferedanattackofkeratitispunctata,anafflictionthatrenderedhimblindnessforaperiodofabout18months.•Ibelievehisblindnesswasablessingindisguise.Foronething,itputpaidtohisideaoftakingupmedicineasacareer...Hisuniquenesslayinhisuniversalism.Hewasabletotakeallknowledgeforhisprovince.•ThistimelyinfirmitywasresponsibleforpreventingHuxleyfromparticipatinginWorldWarI,aswellaskeepinghimoutofthelaboratorieswherehewouldhavepursuedhisfirstloveofscience—alovethatwouldsustainitsinfluenceonhimdespitehisinevitabletransitionsintomoreartistic,humanistic,andspirituallifecourses.Infact,itwashisscientificapproachthatultimatelycomplimentedtheseendeavors.•ThomasHenryHuxley,(Darwin'sBulldog).•thetermDarwinismhadbeenusedpreviouslytorefertotheworkofErasmusDarwin(18th),thetermasunderstoodtodaywasintroducedwhenCharlesDarwin's1859bookOntheOriginofSpecieswasreviewedbyThomasHenryHuxleyintheApril1860issueoftheWestminsterReview.Havinghailedthebookas,averitableWhitworthguninthearmouryofliberalismpromotingscientificnaturalismovertheology,andpraisingtheusefulnessofDarwin'sideaswhileexpressingprofessionalreservationsaboutDarwin'sgradualismanddoubtingifitcouldbeprovedthatnaturalselectioncouldformnewspecies,HuxleycomparedDarwin'sachievementtothatofCopernicusinexplainingplanetarymotion.•Mostofthesubjectmatterthatcomprisedthesenovelswassatiricalcommentaryoncontemporaryevents.•expressemuchofthemoodofdisenchantmentoftheearly1920s.•thelifeandopinionsofanagewhichhasseentheviolentdisruptionofalmostallthestandards,conventionsandvaluescurrentinthepresentepoch.----alettertohisfatherAboutthethemeandstyle•Huxley,however,saidthatanovelshouldbefullofinterestingopinionsandarrestingideas,describinghisaimasanovelistasbeing'toarrive,technically,ataperfectfusionofthenovelandtheessay';•Despitehisgreatsuccess,however,theauthorwascriticizedduringthisperiodforhisone-dimensionalcharactersthatHuxleyusedasmouthpiecestosay“almosteverythingaboutalmostanything.”•Thisparticularcriticismwouldfollowhimtosomedegreethroughouthisentirecareerasafictionwriter,asmanyfeltthatHuxleycaredmoreforhisideasthanhedidforhischaractersorplot.•Oneofhismainideaswaspessimismabouttheculturalfutureofsociety,apessimismwhichspranglargelyfromhisvisittotheUnitedStatesbetweenSeptember1925andJune1926.Herecountedhisexperiences•inJestingPilate(1926):ThethingwhichishappeninginAmericaisareevaluationofvalues,aradicalalteration(fortheworse)ofestablishedstandards,anditwassoonafterthisvisitthatheconceivedtheideaofwritingasatireofwhathehadencountered.•thebeautyindustryisunaffected.Continuetoasmuchasbeforethecomingoftheslump(aboutthreemillionpoundsaweek)•makesthecomparisonbetweentheexpendingonthebeautyindustryandtheimportantbusinessandtherevenueofIndia---thegreatcostsofthebeautyandsatiresthesituation.•HeironicallysaysthatEuropeispoor,andafacecancostasmuchinupkeepasaRolls-Royce.•Th