--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The tendency to variation in living…" description: "\"“The tendency to variation in living beings, which all admitted as a matter of fact; the selective influence of conditions, which no one could deny to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/thomas-henry-huxley-14414_biology_the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-bein_2119706.jpg" --- # The tendency to variation in living beings, which all… ![“The tendency to variation in living beings, which all admitted as a matter of fact; the selective influence of conditions, which no one could deny to be a matter of fact, when his attention was drawn to the evidence; and the occurrence of great geological changes which also was matter of fact…” quote by Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/thomas-henry-huxley-14414_biology_the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-bein_2119706.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/thomas-henry-huxley-14414_biology_the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-bein_2119706.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/thomas-henry-huxley-14414_biology_the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-bein_2119706.jpg) > ““The tendency to variation in living beings, which all admitted as a matter of fact; the selective influence of conditions, which no one could deny to be a matter of fact, when his attention was drawn to the evidence; and the occurrence of great geological changes which also was matter of fact; could be used as the only necessary postulates of a theory of the evolution of plants and animals which, even if not at once, competent to explain all the known facts of biological science, could not be shown to be inconsistent with any.”” [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Biological evolution can be explained by variation, selection, and geological change, forming a consistent theoretical framework. **In simple terms:** Evolution relies on variation, selection, and earth changes. Key Takeaway Study variation and selection in evolution. Themes evolution science theory Mood analytical educational Type scientific explanatory When to use this quote - education - research - science communication Key Concepts natural selection geology biology Questions to Reflect On - How does variation drive evolution? - What role do geological changes play? A Different Perspective Complex scientific concepts may be oversimplified for lay audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Consistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Explain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain/) [Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact/) [Fact Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact-used-1789259/) [Geology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geology/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Matter Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-fact-406937/) [Matter of fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-of-fact/) [Natural selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-selection/) [Necessary Postulates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-postulates-4317797/) [Plants and animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plants-and-animals/) [Postulates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postulates-773140/) [Postulates Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postulates-theory-4317796/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Variation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variation/) ## Related quotes > [The fact that something can be used for good isn't necessarily a knockdown argument for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/the-fact-that-something-can-be-used-for-good-isn-t-necessarily-a/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [As a point of fact, I am not used to making frequent appearances in public, except at times when it is required.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-castro/as-a-point-of-fact-i-am-not-used-to-making-frequent-appearances-in/) [Raul Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-castro/) > [Semiotics is in principle the discipline studying everything which can be used in order to lie. If something cannot be used to tell a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/semiotics-is-in-principle-the-discipline-studying-everything-which/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [As a matter of fact, compromise is what oppression feeds on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/as-a-matter-of-fact-compromise-is-what-oppression-feeds-on/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Certainly it is permitted to anyone to put forward whatever hypotheses he wishes, and to develop the logical consequences contained in those hypotheses. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-peano/certainly-it-is-permitted-to-anyone-to-put-forward-whatever/) [Giuseppe Peano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-peano/) > [Postulates are based on assumption and adhered to by faith. Nothing in the Universe can shake them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/postulates-are-based-on-assumption-and-adhered-to-by-faith-nothing-in/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [The sceptic only stumbles at matter of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ludwig-von-knebel/the-sceptic-only-stumbles-at-matter-of-fact/) [Karl Ludwig von Knebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ludwig-von-knebel/) > [As a matter of fact is an expression that precedes many an expression that isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/as-a-matter-of-fact-is-an-expression-that-precedes-many-an-expression/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Tis evident that all reasonings concerning matter of fact are founded on the relation of cause and effect, and that we can never infer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/tis-evident-that-all-reasonings-concerning-matter-of-fact-are-founded/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Finally there are simple ideas of which no definition can be given; there are also axioms or postulates, or in a word primary principles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/finally-there-are-simple-ideas-of-which-no-definition-can-be-given/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [Let us be well assured of the Matter of Fact, before we trouble our selves with enquiring into the Cause. It is true, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/let-us-be-well-assured-of-the-matter-of-fact-before-we-trouble-our/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [I'm too blunt, too matter-of-fact and not PC enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/i-m-too-blunt-too-matter-of-fact-and-not-pc-enough/) [Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/) > [If diphtheria is a disease caused by a microorganism, it is essential that three postulates be fulfilled. The fulfilment of these postulates is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-loeffler/if-diphtheria-is-a-disease-caused-by-a-microorganism-it-is-essential/) [Friedrich Loeffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-loeffler/) > [A good theory explains a lot but postulates little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/a-good-theory-explains-a-lot-but-postulates-little/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“God is not absolute, and Nothingness is not absolute. If we come from these positions (postulates), we confront the inability of language to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/god-is-not-absolute-and-nothingness-is-not-absolute-if-we-come-from/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) ## More by Thomas Henry Huxley > [“In Paley's famous illustration, the adaptation of all the parts of the watch to the function, or purpose, of showing the time, is held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/in-paley-s-famous-illustration-the-adaptation-of-all-the-parts-of-the/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“It is my conviction that, with the spread of true scientific culture, whatever may be the medium, historical, philological, philosophical, or physical, through which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/it-is-my-conviction-that-with-the-spread-of-true-scientific-culture/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, whether you like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/perhaps-the-most-valuable-result-of-all-education-is-the-ability-to/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [It is because the body is a machine that education is possible. Education is the formation of habits, a super inducing of an artificial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/it-is-because-the-body-is-a-machine-that-education-is-possible/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“There can be no doubt that the existing Fauna and Flora is but the last term of a long series of equally numerous contemporary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/there-can-be-no-doubt-that-the-existing-fauna-and-flora-is-but-the/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“When I reached intellectual maturity, and began to ask myself whether I was an atheist, a theist, or a pantheist; a materialist or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/when-i-reached-intellectual-maturity-and-began-to-ask-myself-whether/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“For these two years I have been gravitating towards your doctrines, and since the publication of your primula paper with accelerated velocity. By about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/for-these-two-years-i-have-been-gravitating-towards-your-doctrines-2/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“The publication of the Darwin and Wallace papers in 1858, and still more that of the 'Origin' in 1859, had the effect upon them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/the-publication-of-the-darwin-and-wallace-papers-in-1858-and-still/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“Agnosticism, in fact, is not a creed, but a method, the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/agnosticism-in-fact-is-not-a-creed-but-a-method-the-essence-of-which-2/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“Those who are ignorant of Geology, find no difficulty in believing that the world was made as it is; and the shepherd, untutored in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/those-who-are-ignorant-of-geology-find-no-difficulty-in-believing/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [Logical consequences are the scare-crows of fools and the beacons of wise men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/logical-consequences-are-the-scare-crows-of-fools-and-the-beacons-of/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“The question of the position of man, as an animal, has given rise to much disputation, with the result of proving that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/the-question-of-the-position-of-man-as-an-animal-has-given-rise-to/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“Very few, even among those who have taken the keenest interest in the progress of the revolution in natural knowledge set afoot by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/very-few-even-among-those-who-have-taken-the-keenest-interest-in-the/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“All organisms vary. It is in the highest degree improbable that any given variety should have exactly the same relations to surrounding conditions as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/all-organisms-vary-it-is-in-the-highest-degree-improbable-that-any/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“And those who will carefully study the so-called 'Mosaic code' contained in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, will see that, though Jahveh's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/and-those-who-will-carefully-study-the-so-called-mosaic-code/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) [Explore all 46 Thomas Henry Huxley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) ## More Biology quotes > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) [Hideaki Sena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-sena/) > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. Epigenetic modifications of genes can potentially superpose historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-note-of-caution-epigenetics-is-also-on-the-verge-of-transforming/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/) [Tom Atlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-atlee/) > [I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. But after thinking seriously about that field, I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-medicine-and-was-pleased-when-my/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [Evolution... is the most powerful and the most comprehensive idea that has ever arisen on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-huxley/evolution-is-the-most-powerful-and-the-most-comprehensive-idea-that/) [Julian Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-huxley/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Browse all 3,034 Biology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The tendency to variation in living beings, which all admitted as a matter of fact; the selective influence of conditions, which no one could deny to be a matter of fact, when his attention was drawn to the evidence; and the occurrence of great geological changes which also was matter of fact; could be used as the only necessary postulates of a theory of the evolution of plants and animals which, even if not at once, competent to explain all the known facts of biological science, could not be shown to be inconsistent with any.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Henry Huxley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-beings-which-all-admitted-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Biology" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-beings-which-all-admitted-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/thomas-henry-huxley-14414_biology_the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-bein_2119706.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/thomas-henry-huxley-14414_biology_the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-bein_2119706.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/thomas-henry-huxley-14414_biology_the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-bein_2119706.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The tendency to variation in living beings, which all admitted as a matter of fact; the selective influence…” — Thomas Henry Huxley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Henry Huxley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The tendency to variation in living...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-beings-which-all-admitted-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/the-tendency-to-variation-in-living-beings-which-all-admitted-as-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```