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

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

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About This Book

This collection assembles revised extracts from earlier writings alongside new remarks addressing a contemporary scientific work, beginning with a preface that criticizes a misstatement in another author's citations and reflects on scientific authority. Selections revisit arguments about heredity and the role of memory as a central factor in biological change, offering theoretical explanations for phenomena such as reversion and sterility. Interspersed are satirical essays that invert social conventions, imagining a society that punishes ill health while tending criminals, and examining how moral judgments and professional roles shape public treatment of illness and wrongdoing. The tone mixes polemic, theoretical exposition, and social satire to revisit and amplify earlier ideas.

About the Author

Butler, Samuel portrait

Samuel Butler

Samuel Butler was an English novelist, essayist, and social critic, known for his satirical and thought-provoking works. His most famous novel, "Erewhon," published in 1872, presents a unique utopian society that challenges contemporary Victorian values and explores themes of evolution and morality. Butler's writings often reflect his interest in science and philosophy, as seen in his essays and critiques of Darwinism in "Evolution, Old & New." He also authored travel narratives, such as "Alps and Sanctuaries of Piedmont and the Canton Ticino," showcasing his keen observations of culture and landscape. Butler's literary contributions continue to resonate, marking him as a significant figure in 19th-century literature.

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