Life And Habit

Life and Habit is a philosophical book written by Samuel Butler, first published in 1877. The book explores the concept of heredity and the idea that habits and experiences acquired by an organism during its lifetime can be passed down to its offspring. Butler argues that this inherited habit is the true source of an individual's character and behavior, rather than genetics or environment.The book is divided into two parts, with the first part presenting Butler's theory of heredity and the second part applying this theory to various aspects of human life, including language, religion, and art. Butler draws on examples from literature and science to support his arguments, and his writing style is often witty and satirical.Life and Habit was controversial when it was first published, and it continues to be debated by scholars today. Some critics have praised Butler's insights into the nature of heredity and the importance of habit, while others have criticized his lack of scientific evidence and his tendency to rely on anecdote and speculation.Overall, Life and Habit is a thought-provoking book that challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about the origins of human behavior and the role of heredity in shaping our lives.If such remarks as the above hold good at all, they do so with the words ""personal identity."" The least reflection will show that personal identity in any sort of strictness is an impossibility. The expression is one of the many ways in which we are obliged to scamp our thoughts through pressure of other business which pays us better. For surely all reasonable people will feel that an infant an hour before birth, when in the eye of the law he has no existence, and could not be called a peer for another sixty minutes, though his father were a peer, and already dead.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.