Who said “Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.”?

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Thomas H. Huxley. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceOn the advisableness of improving natural knowledge (1866)

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“Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.”
— Thomas H. Huxley
VerifiedOn the advisableness of improving natural knowledge (1866) · evidenceKnowledge
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For academic work, cite the original where you can: On the advisableness of improving natural knowledge (1866).

APA

Huxley, T. H. (n.d.). Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19097-every-great-advance-in-natural-knowledge-has-involved/

MLA

Huxley, Thomas H. “Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19097-every-great-advance-in-natural-knowledge-has-involved/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Huxley, Thomas H. “Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19097-every-great-advance-in-natural-knowledge-has-involved/.

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“Irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.”
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“The great tragedy of Science — the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.”
VerifiedPresidential Address at the British Association, "Biogenesis and abiogenesis" (1870); later published in Collected Essays, Vol. 8, p. 229 · evidenceDetails & citeScience and Scientists
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