The Huxley-Wilberforce Debate

In the nineteenth century the theory of evolution, though long since developed by 1860, was gaining momentum through its pairing with other ideas and theories such as the struggle for existence and the transmutation of species. The issues that the theory of the transmutation of species brought up in the former half of the nineteenth century excited a large dispute. Seen as opposing religion and societal values of the time, the idea of the transmutation of species created two sides to an argument, which could agree with one another. Eventually Christianity and science came to an inevitable face off. This face off manifested itself during what is now referred to as the Huxley-Wilberforce debate, which took place on the 30th of June 1860 at the Oxford University Museum in Oxford, England. Despite its name, this debate was really a spirited discussion between scholars at the annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Besides Thomas Henry Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, scholars Benjamin Brodie, Joseph Dalton Hooker and Robert

The meeting began with the American, Dr. Draper, lecturing about the "Intellectual Development of Europe Considered with Reference to the Views of Mr. Darwin." Draper’s speech lasted for one hour, after which other speakers began to address the theme that he had broached. Wilberforce was the first to speak on the subject of evolution and took full advantage of his time speaking for around 30 minutes (it is speculated) and finishing (also speculated) with the comment that most individuals remembered the discussion for, turning to Huxley and asking him whether it was on his mother’s or father’s side that he was descended from a monkey. All speakers had their turns, the most persuasive arguments being said to have come from Hooker, Huxley and