The Fitness of the Environment

book by Henderson

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June 26, 2026

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In The Fitness of the Environment (1913), Lawrence Joseph Henderson argued that Earth's environment is uniquely suited for life. He observed that the chemical elements abundant in the universe, such as carbon and water, are precisely those necessary for life's development and sustenance. Henderson proposed that the universe's natural environment is not a matter of chance but is perfectly adapted for life's emergence and evolution. This perspective suggests a designed or purposeful aspect to the cosmos, where conditions are not accidental but rather conducive to the existence of living organisms.1234

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Lawrence Joseph Henderson
Henderson wrote two philosophical works, The Fitness of the Environment (1913) and The Order of Nature (1917), in which he argued that the planet’s natural environment is perfectly suited for the development of life. Furthermore, he felt that “unique physical properties of matter” made a steadily increasing variety of chemical…
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Henderson wrote two philosophical works, The Fitness of the Environment (1913) and The Order of Nature (1917), in which he argued that the planet’s natural environment is perfectly suited for the development of life. Furthermore, he felt that “unique physical properties of matter” made a steadily increasing variety of chemical…
Read More

extraterrestrial life
Universal criteria
In The Fitness of the Environment (1913), American biochemist Lawrence Joseph Henderson first stressed the advantages of carbon and water for life in terms of comparative chemistry. Henderson was struck by the fact that the very atoms needed are exactly those that are around. It remains…
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In The Fitness of the Environment (1913), American biochemist Lawrence Joseph Henderson first stressed the advantages of carbon and water for life in terms of comparative chemistry. Henderson was struck by the fact that the very atoms needed are exactly those that are around. It remains…
Read More