Darwin Among the Machines

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June 25, 2026

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The article "Darwin Among the Machines" by Samuel Butler, published in 1863, explores the idea of machines as living organisms that could compete with humans for survival. Butler, a novelist and critic, was influenced by Charles Darwin's theories but also developed his own ideas about evolution and the relationship between life and mechanism.1

In his satirical work Erewhon, Butler further developed these themes, imagining a society that had outlawed machines, viewing them as dangerous competitors. This concept foreshadowed later discussions about artificial intelligence and the potential for machines to evolve beyond human control. Butler's work questioned the Victorian belief in progress and explored the implications of a world where machines might become the dominant life form.123

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Samuel Butler
…Darwinian topics, of which two—“Darwin Among the Machines” (1863) and “Lucubratio Ebria” (1865)—were later worked up in Erewhon. Both show him already grappling with the central problem of his later thought: the relationship between mechanism and life. In the former he tries out the consequences of regarding machines as…
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…Darwinian topics, of which two—“Darwin Among the Machines” (1863) and “Lucubratio Ebria” (1865)—were later worked up in Erewhon. Both show him already grappling with the central problem of his later thought: the relationship between mechanism and life. In the former he tries out the consequences of regarding machines as…
Read More