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''The Science of Life'' is a book written by H. G. Wells, Julian Huxley and G. P. Wells, published in three volumes by The Waverley Publishing Company Ltd〔not verified, but probably a subsidiary of Amalgamated Press.〕 in 1929–30, giving a popular account of all major aspects of biology as known in the 1920s. It has been called "the first modern textbook of biology"〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 263.〕 and "the best popular introduction to the biological sciences."〔Norman and Jean Mackenzie, ''H.G. Wells: A Biography'' (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1973), p. 357.〕 Wells's most recent biographer notes that ''The Science of Life'' "is not quite as dated as one might suppose."〔Michael Sherborne, ''H.G. Wells: Another Kind of Life'' (Peter Owen, 2010), p. 286.〕 In undertaking ''The Science of Life,'' H. G. Wells, who had published ''The Outline of History'' a decade earlier, selling over two million copies, desired the same sort of treatment for biology. He thought of his readership as "the intelligent lower middle classes . . . () idiots, half-wits . . . greenhorns, religious fanatics . . . smart women or men who know all that there is to be known."〔Norman and Jean Mackenzie, ''H.G. Wells: A Biography'' (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1973), p. 357.〕 Julian Huxley, the grandson of T. H. Huxley under whom Wells had studied biology, and his son "Gip," a zoologist, divided the initial writing between them; H.G. Wells revised, dealt (with the help of his literary agent, A.P. Watt) with publishers, and acted as a strict taskmaster, often obliging his collaborators to sit down and work together and keeping them on a tight schedule.〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 262.〕 (H.G. Wells had begun the book during his wife's final illness and is said to have used work on the book as a way to keep his mind off his loss.)〔Norman and Jean Mackenzie, ''H.G. Wells: A Biography'' (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1973), pp. 352, 356.〕 The text as published is presented as the common work of a "triplex author."〔H.G. Wells, Julian S. Huxley, and G.P. Wells, ''The Science of Life'' (New York: Literary Guild, 1934), p. 4.〕 H.G. Wells took 40% of the royalties; the remainder was split between Huxley and Wells's son.〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 262.〕 In his will, H.G. Wells left his rights in the book to G.P. Wells.〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 479.〕 In 1927, Huxley gave up his chair of Zoology at King's College, London to concentrate on the work.〔 〕 Thanks to the success of the book, Huxley was able to give up teaching and devote himself to administration and experimental science.〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 262.〕 The book was originally serialised in 31 fortnightly parts, published in 3 volumes in 1929–30 and in a single volume in 1931. The volume includes more than 300 illustrations. It was a great success, though the stock market crash and subsequent depression held back sales, in part because of declining memberships in book clubs.〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 263.〕 It has been said of Book Four (''The How and Why of Development and Evolution'') that it "offers perhaps the clearest, most readable, succinct and informative popular account of the subject ever penned. It was here that () first expounded his own version of what later developed into the evolutionary synthesis".〔Olby R. in Waters, C. Kenneth and Van Helden, Albert (eds) 1993. ''Julian Huxley: biologist and statesman of science''. Rice University Press, Houston.〕 ''The Science of Life'' is also notable for its introduction of modern ecological concepts. It is also notable for its emphasis on the importance of behaviorism〔H.G. Wells, Julian S. Huxley, and G.P. Wells, ''The Science of Life'' (New York: Literary Guild, 1934), pp. 1318–25.〕 and Jung's psychology.〔H.G. Wells, Julian S. Huxley, and G.P. Wells, ''The Science of Life'' (New York: Literary Guild, 1934), pp. 1364–68. However, Wells added: "Let not our criticisms seem to be . . . a belittlement of Freud. Sigmund Freud's name is as cardinal in the history of human thought as Charles Darwin's" (p. 1368).〕 Toward the end ''The Science of Life'' strays from the scientific to the moral realm and devotes a chapter (Book Eight, Ch. VIII: "Modern Ideas of Conduct") to practical moral advice to the reader, advising him (the masculine pronoun is used throughout, a universal practice circa 1930): "After his primary duties to himself, the first duty of Mr. Everyman to others is to learn about himself, to acquire poise and make his persona as much of a cultivated gentleman as he can. He has to be considerate. He has to be trustworthy."〔H.G. Wells, Julian S. Huxley, and G.P. Wells, ''The Science of Life'' (New York: Literary Guild, 1934), pp. 1399–1400.〕 In its last pages, Wells emphasises the lack of "credibility" of personal immortality, and advocates "realization of () participation in a greater being with which he identifies himself," whether this be "the Deity" or "Man."〔H.G. Wells, Julian S. Huxley, and G.P. Wells, ''The Science of Life'' (New York: Literary Guild, 1934), p. 1475.〕 ==Publication record== The full details of its publishing record are as follows: Wells H.G., Huxley Julian S. and Wells G.P. 1929–30. ''The Science of Life: a summary of contemporary knowledge about life and its possibilities''. First issued in 31 fortnightly parts published by Amalgamated Press, 1929–30, bound up in three volumes as publication proceeded. A mail-order version of the book was also published, though this was dropped after the stock market crash..〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 263.〕 First issued in one volume by Cassell in 1931, reprinted 1934, 1937; popular edition, fully revised, with a new preface by H.G. Wells, 1938. Published as separate volumes by Cassell 1934–37: I ''The living body''. II ''Patterns of life'' (1934). III ''Evolution—fact and theory''. IV ''Reproduction, heredity and the development of sex''. V ''The history and adventure of life''. VI ''The drama of life''. VII ''How animals behave'' (1937). VIII ''Man's mind and behaviour''. IX ''Biology and the human race''. Published in New York by Doubleday, Doran & Co. 1931, 1934, 1939; and by The Literary Guild in 1934. Three of the Cassell spin-off books were also published by Doubleday in 1932: ''Evolution, fact and theory''; ''The human mind and the behaviour of Man''; ''Reproduction, genetics and the development of sex''.〔Baker J.R. and Green J-P. 1978. ''Julian Huxley: Man of science and citizen of the world 1887–1975.'' UNESCO. Bibliography p76–77.〕 ''The Science of Life'' was translated into French. During World War II a one-volume edition designed for use in military classes was issued. As late as 1960 the work was still being used in college classes in the US〔David C. Smith, ''H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal'' (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), p. 263.〕 Of historic interest is ''Book Three – The Incontrovertible Fact of Evolution'',〔this title is an early version of ''Evolution, fact and theory''.〕 comprising five chapters; I The fact to be proved, II The evidence in the rocks, III The evidence from plant and animal structure, IV The evidence from the variation and distribution of living things, V The evolution of Man. Considering that this was written less than five years from the Scopes Trial, it is a bold, comprehensive account of the scientific knowledge of evolution at the time. Book Four concentrates on the controversies about evolution concluding that "the broad positions of Darwinism emerge from a scrutiny of the most exacting sort, essentially unchanged."〔 〕 The section entitled "The Ecological Outlook" anticipates many of the themes of the later green movement, including stressing the importance of reducing pollution and protecting endangered species from extinction, as well as the importance of alternative power sources.〔Sherborne, Michael 2010. ''H.G. Wells: Another Kind of Life''. London: Peter Owen. ISBN 978-0-72061-351-3 (pp. 286, 300–1, 303).〕 The reference given is the most complete available, but there may have been other publishers and dates, and some books may have been given alternative titles. There are editions in some other languages. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Science of Life」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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