--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the hypothesis of evolution is true…" description: "\"If the hypothesis of evolution is true, living matter must have arisen from non-living matter; for by the hypothesis the condition of the globe was at ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/thomas-huxley-1183_biology_if-the-hypothesis-of-evolution-is-true-l_1870215.png" --- # If the hypothesis of evolution is true, living matter must… ![“If the hypothesis of evolution is true, living matter must have arisen from non-living matter; for by the hypothesis the condition of the globe was at one time such, that living matter could not have existed in it, life being entirely incompatible with the gaseous state.” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/thomas-huxley-1183_biology_if-the-hypothesis-of-evolution-is-true-l_1870215.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/thomas-huxley-1183_biology_if-the-hypothesis-of-evolution-is-true-l_1870215.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/thomas-huxley-1183_biology_if-the-hypothesis-of-evolution-is-true-l_1870215.png) > “If the hypothesis of evolution is true, living matter must have arisen from non-living matter; for by the hypothesis the condition of the globe was at one time such, that living matter could not have existed in it, life being entirely incompatible with the gaseous state.” [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims that if evolution is true, life must have originated from non‑living matter under conditions no longer present. **In simple terms:** Life likely began from non‑life under past conditions. Key Takeaway Explore origins of life scientifically. Themes science origin of life evolution philosophy materialism Mood inquisitive analytical skeptical Type scientific educational When to use this quote - research labs - academic curricula - public science communication - interdisciplinary studies Key Concepts abiogenesis chemical evolution planetary conditions Questions to Reflect On - What experiments could simulate early Earth conditions? - How do we reconcile gaps in the abiogenesis record? A Different Perspective Evidence for exact processes remains indirect and contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“I read the first chapter of A Brief History of Time when Dad was still alive, and I got incredibly heavy boots about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-read-the-first-chapter-of-a-brief-history-of-time-when-dad-was-3/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“I read the first chapter of A Brief History of Time when Dad was still alive, and I got incredibly heavy boots about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-read-the-first-chapter-of-a-brief-history-of-time-when-dad-was-2/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“I read the first chapter of A Brief History of Time when Dad was still alive, and I got incredibly heavy boots about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-read-the-first-chapter-of-a-brief-history-of-time-when-dad-was/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [What did it matter if he existed for two or for twenty years? 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